‘A chance’ Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown is activated off IR this week – USFTB
FOXBORO — Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel believes there’s a chance that star wide receiver A.J. Brown could be activated off injured reserve this week.
Brown was placed on IR after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Seahawks and is newly eligible to be activated this week. Players must miss at least four games on IR. The Patriots have gone 3-1 without Brown on the field.
“There’s a chance,” Vrabel said. “Yeah. There is.”
Vrabel was also asked about Brown on Monday morning during his weekly appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show.”
“I don’t know whenever he’ll be back, he should help us,” Vrabel said. “I hope that he’s going to help us. But that remains to be seen yet when he’ll be back. So, we’ll see how he does today and move from there.”
Brown has been spotted in the Patriots’ locker room wearing cleats, which indicates that he’s been doing some rehab work on the Patriots’ practice fields. He hasn’t been walking with a noticeable limp during his appearances in the Patriots’ locker room.
The Patriots’ offense had their most explosive performance of the season Sunday in their 45-17 win over the Raiders, when quarterback Drake Maye threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns. Maye and running back Rhamondre Stevenson also rushed for TDs.
Romeo Doubs, who signed this offseason as a free agent, currently leads the Patriots with 219 receiving yards. Mack Hollins, who was placed on injured reserve Saturday, is next with 209 yards. The Patriots have five more players with over 100 receiving yards: tight end Hunter Henry (177), wide receiver DeMario Douglas (147), wide receiver Kyle Williams (135), running back Rhamondre Stevenson (111) and tight end Eli Raridon (101). Wide receiver Efton Chism isn’t far off either with 98 receiving yards.
Brown’s injury timeline was originally reported as being six weeks. That would mean his return would come Week 8 against the Dolphins. The Patriots’ next two contests are Sunday against the 2-3 Jets and then the 3-2 Bears on Thursday night in a short week.
The Patriots currently have an open spot on their roster to activate Brown, though they saw four players go down with injures in Sunday’s win over the Raiders in left tackle Will Campbell (knee), running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle), cornerback Charles Woods (shoulder) and outside linebacker Dre’Mont Jones (undisclosed).
They were already beat up going into Week 5 with just three cornerbacks and four wide receivers active and healthy. Cornerbacks Christian Gonzalez, Carlton Davis III, Channing Canada and Karon Prunty were all out with injuries on Sunday.
The Patriots can bring eight players off of injured reserve this season. Brown, Hollins, fullback Reggie Gilliam, offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, punter Bryce Baringer, outside linebacker Quintayvious Hutchins, linebacker Khalil Jacobs, guard Mike Onwenu, safety Dell Pettus and offensive lineman Greg Van Roten are all eligible. Outside linebacker Harold Landry III can also be activated off of the PUP list.
