Brown injury: Patriots WR placed on IR, out at least 4 games A.J.
The star wide receiver has been placed on injured reserve after suffering a high right-ankle sprain during New England’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, meaning he will miss at least four games and could potentially return around Week 6. So instead of walking away from Week 1 feeling like the Brown-Maye era had officially arrived, New England walked away with a loss, a battered offense and its biggest offseason addition on injured reserve. An MRI confirmed a high-ankle sprain, and the Patriots subsequently placed Brown on injured reserve.
A.J. Brown’s fresh start with the New England Patriots has gone horribly wrong, and it could not have happened at a worse time. It is a brutal ending to what was supposed to be the beginning of a completely new chapter. After months of drama surrounding his future in Philadelphia, the Patriots made a major move to bring the three-time Pro Bowl receiver to New England during the offseason. Suddenly, Brown was no longer dealing with questions about his Eagles future. He had a new team, a familiar coach in Mike Vrabel and, perhaps most importantly, a young quarterback in Drake Maye who was expected to benefit enormously from having a proven superstar on the outside. The Patriots initially listed him as questionable, but further testing delivered the news New England desperately did not want. For a player who arrived in New England looking for a fresh beginning, this is a nightmare start. The Eagles drama was supposed to be behind him. The Patriots were supposed to be the reset. Maye was supposed to be the new quarterback connection. Instead, A.J. Brown’s Patriots era has barely begun, and already, it has been slammed into a brutal injury roadblock.