New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown was placed on injured reserve with the expectation that he would miss at least four games of the regular season.
The three-time All-Pro suffered a high ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately for the Patriots, the sprain that Brown is dealing with is believed to be on the more serious side. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the expectation is that the star wideout could potentially miss six weeks.
"He has been placed on IR. He has a high ankle sprain. My understanding is the expectation is that he misses six weeks. Generally, it's four to six, this is a little more serious. No surgery planned," Rapoport said.
From @NFLGameDay Morning: Injury updates from this week,
as #Seaahawks QB Sam Darnold actually has a glute injury, #Patriots WR AJ Brown is out about six weeks, and #49ers WR De'Zhaun Stribling (deltoid ligament) is out at least a month. pic.twitter.com/0VlHlIzgw7
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 13, 2026
That would put Brown's return date near the halfway mark of the season in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins.
It would be a devastating blow to the Patriots' offense, especially after the team traded Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans before the season began. It would thrust Romeo Doubs into the No. 1 receiving role for the foreseeable future, with the likes of DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III contributing.
Doubs has yet to show true chemistry with Maye on the field, and he had a crucial drop on a wide-open pass in the opener against the Seahawks. With multiple tough matchups ahead, the pressure will be on Maye more than it has ever been to keep the Patriots' playoff hopes alive.
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This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: A.J. Brown injury gets concerning update after injured reserve move
