New A.J. Brown Injury Update Bodes Very Well for Patriots

The New England Patriots haven't ruled out a return to practice this week for star wide receiver A.J. Brown.

Brown is eligible to be activated off injured reserve and head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters Monday there's a "chance" Brown is back with the team before a Week 6 battle against the New York Jets. 

Brown was placed on injured reserve after suffering a right high ankle sprain against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. 

The Patriots acquired Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason. Brown had 78 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns last season with the Eagles. The Pro Bowler entered this season with 8,029 receiving yards and 56 receiving touchdowns in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and Eagles.

Since entering the NFL, Brown is fourth in the league in both receiving yards and touchdown catches. Brown and Ja'Marr Chase are the NFL's only two players with at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown catches in each of the past four seasons.

The Patriots are 3-2. They lost to the Seahawks in Week 1, beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2, lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 3, beat the Buffalo Bills in Week 4 and beat the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5. 

New England QB Drake Maye is on fire after starting the season terribly. The UNC product has seven touchdown passes over his last two games. He only had one touchdown pass in Weeks 1 through 3. 

In Week 5 against the Raiders, Maye threw for 374 yards and four touchdowns. He didn't throw an interception for the first time in a game this season and he also had one rushing touchdown. 

Maye enters Week 6 with 1,228 passing yards, eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions. 

Los Angeles Rams QB Matthew Stafford won the MVP award last season over Maye, who led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in just his second NFL season. The talented QB finished the 2025 regular season with 4,394 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns while completing 72.0% of his passes.

Maye entered this season with 6,670 passing yards and 46 passing touchdowns. It's puzzling why he looked so lost in the first three games of the season, but maybe his Week 4 performance against the Bills jump-started his season. 

It will be fascinating to see if Brown plays against the Jets in Week 6. New York is 2-3 in Year 2 of the Aaron Glenn era.