The Patriots got through Week 1 with one more problem than they wanted, and now there’s a clearer picture of what’s going on with A.J. Brown.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Brown is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain after leaving last night’s opener. Rapoport added: "Patriots WR AJ Brown, who left last night's opener because of an injury, is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain, per me and @MikeGarafolo," Rapoport reports.
"X-rays were negative for a fracture. Brown has an MRI today to determine how much time he'll miss."
That’s not the kind of update New England wanted, even if the negative X-rays at least rule out a fracture. High-ankle sprains can linger, and while this doesn’t sound like a season-ending situation, it does point to Brown missing some time.
Brown’s injury happened on a short pass from Drake Maye, when he was going to the ground to make the catch. He came up hurt, hobbled off, and never returned. After the game, he was spotted in a walking boot, which made it obvious the issue was real even before the exact diagnosis came out.
Before the injury, Brown had at least managed to be part of the action. He caught three of four targets for 26 yards and also drew a defensive pass interference penalty on an underthrow from Maye that set up a touchdown.
The Patriots brought in two wide receivers this offseason to help Maye, but Week 1 went sideways fast. Romeo Doubs dropped a pass he should’ve caught, Maye threw three interceptions, and Brown got injured. Now the focus shifts to how long Brown will be out, not whether he’ll be back at all.
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The bigger point, though, is about sharpening the edges. Ole Miss is still trying to find more consistency across the board, and this is the kind of tuneup where the staff can push for cleaner play without having to empty the playbook. With LSU waiting next week, the Rebels would like a home opener that looks complete in all phases before the real pressure starts to rise. [Read more 🡒]