An MRI confirmed that Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in Wednesday’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks that is expected to sideline him for at least four weeks, a source told NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Thursday.
X-rays taken earlier did not show a fracture. Coach Mike Vrabel had said before the MRI results that the right ankle injury was the one they would have to monitor because of its potential impact on his availability.
Brown left the game early in the third quarter after a third-down incompletion in tight coverage. Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett’s right knee appeared to land on his ankle with his body weight behind it. He grabbed the back of his right leg as he sat up, walked slowly to the sideline, stayed in the medical tent for an extended period and then walked to the locker room with the athletic training staff.
The timeline
The four-week minimum puts Brown’s return no earlier than mid-October. He is expected to miss the Sept. 20 home opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, road games at Jacksonville on Sept. 27 and at Buffalo on Oct. 4, and back-to-back home games against the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 11 and the New York Jets on Oct. 18.
What it means for the offense
He had quickly established himself as Drake Maye’s primary target in his debut before leaving. Earlier in the game, he helped set up New England’s first touchdown by coming back for an underthrown deep ball and drawing a pass interference penalty. Maye then hit rookie tight end Eli Raridon for a 2-yard touchdown on the following play.
With Brown out, the Patriots offense will rely on veteran Mack Hollins, who took over Brown’s role after the injury. They will also need more from Romeo Doubs, who signed a four-year, $68 million free agent contract in the offseason and finished without a catch in his Patriots debut while also dropping a pass. Pop Douglas in the slot and second-year players Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III are also available.
The acquisition cost
The Patriots traded a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to acquire Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles on June 1. Vrabel said before the MRI results that he knows the receiver will do everything he can to return as quickly as possible.
The depth chart context
Receiver was considered one of New England’s deepest positions heading into the season, which led the Patriots to trade former starter Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans. That depth takes some of the immediate pressure off the position, though no individual on the Patriots depth chart has Maye’s level of familiarity or a track record with the star receiver.
