After the initial disappointment over A.J. Brown's Week 1 injury subsided, Patriots fans began counting down the days to his return, most assuming he would miss only the required four games on injured reserve.
So when that seemed to be the case, and he returned in Week 6 against the Jets, it felt like luck was back on the Patriots' side after countless players suffered injuries that either ended their season or landed them on IR.
But in what has become the inevitable this season, Brown suited up for that game and the Thursday Night Football game five days later against the Bears, which appears to have aggravated a previous knee injury, and he is about to miss his second straight game after his return.
It has prompted a lot of debate about whether the Patriots made a mistake trading for him this past summer, or if he will return to the field at all this season, leaving many fans worried about what the offense could look like when the season comes down to the wire.
Because his ankle injury wasn't the problem again, NFL analysts and insiders have offered varying reports on what's going on with the receiver behind closed doors, and, fortunately, the latest from Tom Pelissero is the best news yet.
A.J. Brown is probably going to miss a couple more games before his Patriots' return this season
In one of his latest Substack posts, the NFL insider briefly discussed Brown's current situation and shared a sensible return date the Patriots have in mind.
It's quite a contrast from the rumors that began circulating this weekend ahead of their Week 9 matchup against the Packers, as some analysts suggested that Brown could be done for the season already.
“Playing two games in five days may have triggered the latest episode, but New England is optimistic he’ll be back sooner rather than later, perhaps after the Week 11 bye.”
Looking at the schedule, it makes sense to keep Brown out for the next two weeks, with the Packers up first and the Lions in Munich the following week, since they finally have their bye in Week 11.
That gives him more time to rest up and be ready for some of their biggest remaining games, some of which could shape the AFC playoff picture. That's when Drake Maye will need Brown most, and the extra time away should help him prepare for colder weather and tougher football.
That's the hope, at least, and it's hard to argue with the Patriots' logic there. While it's not ideal, there's no reason to risk Brown injuring himself further and potentially sidelining him for good, especially if they make the playoffs this year.
Given how much bad luck they've had this season, it would be nice if this works out exactly as expected, if not better. It's too early to assume what Brown's tenure in New England will be like, but it would be nice to see it when the season matters most, rather than in 2027.
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