Patriots wide receiver AJ Brown’s ankle injury is expected to keep him out for an extended period of time.
According to multiple reports, an MRI on Thursday confirmed that Brown suffered a sprained ankle when he was hurt during Wednesday night’s 13-10 loss to the Seahawks. Those reports also say Brown is expected to miss at least four weeks while he recovers from the injury. That timeline would make him a candidate for injured reserve, but there’s no word on the team’s plans at this point.
The Patriots face a series of 2025 playoff teams during the first few weeks of Brown’s expected absence. They host the Steelers in Week 2 before traveling to Jacksonville and Buffalo for their next two games.
Navigating that stretch without Brown will be more difficult, and it’s not an ideal start to the wideout’s tenure with the team. Drake Maye is coming off a three-interception fourth quarter in Seattle on Wednesday, which also featured a crucial drop by Romeo Doubs. Doubs was the most prominent addition to the receiving corps for most of the offseason, and the team will need him to thrive in a prominent role to get the offense on track without Brown.
