While speaking with reporters on Monday, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said that there is “a chance” that wide receiver A.J. Brown could return from injury to play in New England’s Week 6 home game against the rival New York Jets (2-3) on Oct. 18.
During a Tuesday appearance on Boston sports radio station 98.5 The Sports Hub, Patriots reporter Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston was asked about Brown’s availability for the Jets game.
“Real possibility” Patriots get A.J. Brown back soon
“I think it’s a real possibility,” Perry said about Brown playing against the Jets. “He’s been trending in the right direction. The routine has seemingly changed a little bit with him, where he’s around us a little bit more when we’re there. I had a chance to talk to him last week, and he’s in very good spirits. And I think he’s feeling optimistic. But let’s see.”
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has been without Brown since the club’s top offseason acquisition suffered a high ankle sprain during New England’s 13-10 season-opening loss at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9. While Maye largely looked lost from the final quarter of the Seattle game through Week 3 of the campaign, he is now coming off back-to-back wins and a dominant showing in New England’s 45-17 home victory over the Las Vegas Raiders this past Sunday.
One reason A.J. Brown may not return vs. the Jets
Following the Patriots’ Week 6 game against the Jets, New England will face the Chicago Bears in a “Thursday Night Football” matchup at Chicago’s Soldier Field on Oct. 22. Perry suggested the Patriots could wait a little longer to make Brown active on a game day due to their schedule.
“Because of that turnaround,” Perry said, “I’m curious as to how they play it. On the one hand, you want to get [Brown] back out there. I think part of the reason they were so choppy in their start to the season was, ‘We lost this major piece of what we were gonna try to do.’ And it had a trickle-down effect on the rest of the receivers.”
Perry also acknowledged that Brown “probably is gonna want to play” against the Jets. That said, Perry mentioned that Brown would have some extra time to recover following the Bears game before New England plays at the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 1.
For what it’s worth, history shows that Vrabel may keep Brown’s status for the Jets game a mystery until at least this coming Friday.