It was another tough matchup for the Patriots this past Sunday, when they took on the Dolphins in Miami and nearly fell victim to the apparent South Beach curse that has plagued the New England franchise for what feels like its entire existence.
But in typical fashion, Drake Maye carried the team on his back and led them to their fifth win of the year, overcoming the ever-growing obstacles that have dominated this season so far.
The biggest problem has been the mounting injuries across the offense, and it seems like they lose another starter every Sunday. That was the case this weekend, too, with TE Hunter Henry leaving before halftime with a foot injury that sidelined him for the rest of the game.
Ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Packers, several players could make triumphant returns or miss their first games, prompting Mike Vrabel to update fans on them after Sunday's win.
Mike Vrabel provides injury updates on a handful of Patriots players before Week 9
Patriots will see how A.J. Brown feels on Wednesday before deciding if he returns to practice
After being activated from injured reserve in Week 6, A.J. Brown suited up for their matchup with the Bears last week, only to reportedly injure his knee at practice before their game against the Dolphins this past weekend.
He was ruled out by Friday, prompting many to wonder whether the knee issues that scared off other teams from trading for him were already becoming a problem, and while that might be true, Mike Vrabel wasn't too interested in furthering that narrative.
After avoiding most of WEEI's questions Monday morning, the head coach said the receiver could return to practice this week when speaking to reporters. It wasn't definitive by any means, but it was better than nothing.
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel did not seem eager to answer questions about A.J. Brown’s knee injury…
— Carlos A. Lopez (@LosTalksPats) November 2, 2026
Do you guys think you mishandled the return of A.J. Brown from his IR stint?
Vrabel: “We’ll see where A.J.’s availability is this week.”
Was the new injury related at all to… pic.twitter.com/q0di7N14ad
FB Reggie Gilliam and WR Mack Hollins can be activated this week from IR
Because the offense has dealt with so many injuries this season, it's always good news when players can return from IR ahead of a big matchup like the Patriots' Week 9 game against the Packers.
That's the case with fullback Reggie Gilliam and receiver Mack Hollins, both of whom are eligible to be activated after missing the last four games. With a depleted receiving corps and third-stringers playing on the offensive line, it's the perfect time for both to return this week.
But Vrabel wasn't definitive about whether that would happen in the next few days, only stating that they could "potentially" be back for Sunday's game.
“Potentially. Those guys are all working hard and we’ve got a long list of those guys. [The training staff] is trying to do a great job with the return-to-play. We’ll just kinda see here where we come out from the game, and where guys can help us, and the spots that you need to get those guys back.
There’s a lot of moving parts. We’ll make sure that the player is ready to return to practice, and then also, if they were to be available for the game, then [making] the corresponding moves that would have to occur.”
Even if just one of them can play next weekend, it would be a massive help to the offense against a very good opponent.
Hunter Henry's status remains unclear after leaving Sunday's game with a foot injury
After making a big sideline in Sunday's game, Hunter Henry went to the locker room with a foot injury. He was eventually ruled out for the rest of the game, taking a massive toll on the offense, which was already dealing with plenty of absences.
The tight end is on the cusp of recording his 50th career touchdown, and he was starting to hit his stride before the injury. He returned to the sideline after halftime, which seemed like a good sign, as he tested his foot to see if he could go back in.
But it never happened, and now, there's a chance he won't suit up against the Packers.
Vrabel said Monday that he didn't have "any expectations yet" for Henry's status, saying they would "see how he responds" this week before determining his availability.
Drake Maye provided an optimistic update immediately after the game, saying Henry appeared to be walking fine and had a smile on his face, so we can keep that in mind throughout the week until we learn of a legitimate update from the team.
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