The New York Jets caught a little breathing room early in the week, but that window may be closing fast.
New England entered Week 6 with some real questions after left tackle Will Campbell sprained his knee and running back TreVeyon Henderson hurt his ankle in the Patriots’ Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. That injury news had a way of making the matchup look a little friendlier for the Jets. But the Patriots have since started trending in the other direction.
The biggest swing came Wednesday, when NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that New England was opening the practice window for wide receiver A.J. Brown.
"The Patriots are opening the practice window for WR AJ Brown, coach Mike Vrabel told reporters. Brown, who remains on IR, has been pushing to practice this week. May be a bit early to return from a high-ankle sprain, but he’s trying."
Brown has been out since injuring himself in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, missing the last four games. Rapoport added that it "may be a bit early" for him to make it back for Week 6, but his return to practice at least gives New England another name to monitor as Sunday approaches.
Brown wasn’t the only key Patriot back on the field. All-Pro cornerback Christian Gonzalez also practiced Wednesday after sitting out the last two games with a shoulder injury. Gonzalez said he’ll be "ready to go" for the Jets game, giving New England a major boost at one of the most important spots on the field.
There was also a bit of movement on Campbell’s status. The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed reported seeing Campbell, who had been expected to miss time with the sprained knee, "walked through the locker room with cleats taped up, in shoulder pad shells and holding his jersey" on Wednesday. That suggests he may be further along than first believed.
Even with those encouraging updates, the Patriots still listed 16 players on their first injury report of the week, a longer-than-usual file that shows they’re not exactly clean heading into Sunday.
The Jets have plenty of their own issues, too. Aaron Glenn said Wednesday that left guard Dylan Parham, running back Breece Hall, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, and edge Joseph Ossai are all "week-to-week" and unlikely to play in New England.
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