Mike Vrabel Has a Blunt Answer on Whether the Patriots Rushed A.J. Brown Back

The New England Patriots will decide Saturday whether A.J. Brown plays Sunday at the Miami Dolphins.

Brown practiced on a limited basis Wednesday, then sat out Thursday and Friday. Friday's report listed two injuries for him, the right high ankle sprain from Week 1 and a knee issue that was added after Wednesday's session.

Four Patriots are listed as questionable. Brown is one of them, "like some other players," coach Mike Vrabel said Friday.

"Just like everything else, when you come out of the game or a long week or practice on Monday, you evaluate the player," Vrabel said. "He just wasn't able to practice or finish practice on Wednesday. So, we'll continue to treat him, and then we'll see where he is tomorrow."

Brown suffered a right high ankle sprain in the Sept. 9 opener, which the Seattle Seahawks won 13-10, and he spent the next four games on injured reserve.

The Patriots designated him to return on Oct. 14. He played 102 of a possible 122 offensive snaps in the next two games, a 26-19 win over the New York Jets on Oct. 18 and a 30-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 22, ESPN's Mike Reiss reported.

The ankle is still something Brown is managing.

"None of that stuff matters," Brown said Wednesday, according to ESPN. "I'm out here, so I'm going."

He had been hoping for a full week of work so he could "try to put my best foot forward on Sunday."

Vrabel kept Brown's return timeline and his current status apart, calling them "separate issues."

"No, we want our best players to play, and I would consider him one of those," Vrabel explained. "Again, we're really here focused on trying to get a win on the road in the division. And we'll make a decision on the guys that are questionable tomorrow."

Philadelphia traded Brown to New England on June 1 for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth, according to the Eagles. Vrabel had coached him with the Tennessee Titans.

Mack Hollins is on injured reserve, and so is Romeo Doubs, who caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye against the Jets on Oct. 18 and went on IR the next day.

That leaves DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III as the only healthy receivers on the 53-man roster. Douglas caught a 35-yard touchdown pass and Williams caught a 34-yarder in the Oct. 11 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. New England averages 253.0 passing yards per game, ninth in the league, entering a matchup with Miami's defense that allows 227.5 through the air. Ryan Miller, Kyle Dixon, Chandler Brayboy, and Cameron Dorner are on the practice squad.

New England will have eleven players on offense Sunday. Vrabel promised that much, and he said the Patriots have been through this before.

"Everybody comes in and prepares as a starter," Vrabel said. "We've had to use guys from the practice squad, and if needed, we'll have one of those guys ready. I know that they all are. Whether that be somebody like Lan Larison or somebody that's been on the offensive line that has to be ready to come up."

"We've seen that with defensive players," Vrabel continued. "So that's nothing new for us. And we'll see where we're at tomorrow."

Three other Patriots are questionable. Running back TreVeyon Henderson missed Thursday's and Friday's practices with an illness.

Linebacker Christian Elliss (chest) and cornerback Carlton Davis III (neck) practiced in full all week. Elliss had 13 tackles at Chicago, tying his career high, and Davis has missed the last three games.

Guard Ben Brown, out against the Bears with a knee injury, was a full participant Friday and has no game status.

New England, 2-0 in the division, kicks off against the 1-5 Dolphins at 4:25 p.m. ET Sunday on CBS.