A quarter of the 2026 season has passed, and the Patriots are heading into a big home game against the Raiders after an impressive win over the Bills. It was a hard-fought battle that came down to the wire, with the Patriots showing glimpses of the team that reached the Super Bowl last year.
They did that with a long list of best players sidelined by injury, most notably A.J. Brown, who left their Week 1 matchup against the Seahawks with a high ankle sprain. The receiving corps has taken a huge hit in his absence, contributing to some of Drake Maye's struggles, so Brown's return is highly anticipated.
Among the piling up of injuries are special teams ace Brenden Schooler, who has yet to take the field this year, and offensive lineman Marcus Bryant, who is sorely needed given the group's struggles so far.
With what looks like an easier stretch of their schedule ahead, it would be great if they could return sooner rather than later, and the latest update from NFL insider Mike Garafolo is that it's in the cards.
Latest injury updates provide Patriots a sliver of hope for their next two games
Ahead of Sunday's slate of games, the insider provided updates on several players, including Brown, who was placed on injured reserve after Week 1.
That means he has to miss four games but can return as soon as Week 6, and Garafolo said there is hope it will happen, which couldn't be a better scenario for the Patriots.
“The hope is that he’ll be back Week 6. Now that’s a hope, it’s not a firm one. But that’s when he’s eligible to return. We’ll see how that goes.”
As if that wasn't good enough news, ESPN's Mike Reiss also provided updates on Bryant and Schooler before Sunday's game, revealing that both are eligible to return from IR this week and can play against the Raiders at Gillette Stadium in Week 5.
Bryant was in the locker room last week, suggesting he's likely ready for next Sunday's game. The same can be said about Schooler, who has been present for the past two weeks before and during games in a way that special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer said felt like having another coach around.
Assuming that's a sign of how they're feeling in their recoveries, it's probably fair to assume they'll both be activated for next week's game.
That will make a massive difference for the offensive line, which has struggled on the right side since Mike Onwenu broke his ankle in Week 2, and adding Schooler back to special teams will only make them stronger.
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