A.J. Brown sustained a high-ankle sprain during his debut with the New England Patriots in Week 1, and he's been out of action since, as the team placed him on the injured reserve.
New England opened Brown's 21-day window on Wednesday with the hope that he could make his return against the New York Jets during their Week 5 matchup on Sunday. Given that it's been four weeks since he was placed on the injured reserve, this is the earliest the three-time All-Pro receiver can make his return.
Here are the latest injury updates on Brown ahead of his potential return to the field against New York.
Latest injury updates on A.J. Brown before Patriots vs. Jets
Brown was a limited participant in both Wednesday's and Thursday's practices, and it remains to be seen whether that changes on Friday. On Thursday, Brown said his return for Sunday's game is "still up in the air."
While it would be great for the Patriots to get the Mississippi native back on the field against the Jets, they obviously can't risk it. He is way too important to their success for the rest of the season, and while it was a slow start, their offense is starting to turn a corner. And they may be able to hold their own without Brown for one more week (the Jets are allowing just 175 passing yards per game, which is fourth-best in the league, but their competition hasn't been all that great).
Plus, the Patriots have a short week afterwards, as they are set to take on the Chicago Bears on "Thursday Night Football" in Week 7. If Brown is unable to go on Sunday, they likely won't have to wait much longer to get him back on the field.
The Patriots wil greatly benefit from A.J. Brown's return
Whether it's this week, the next one, or maybe even the one after that, New England will be thrilled once Brown is able to suit back up. The Patriots traded for him in the offseason to give Drake Maye a legitimate weapon who can take the top off the defense. And even though they are turning things around on offense, they won't be able to get close to their full potential until Brown returns.
The one-time Super Bowl champion is one of the best receivers in the game, and he should make a huge impact in New England, both directly and indirectly (his gravity alone should open up the rest of the field for everybody else on the offense to contribute).
Brown should be a great asset to the Patriots, and his return will be a great day for the team. When exactly will that happen? That remains to be seen, but as it stands, it looks like it's going to be sooner rather than later.
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