New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel offered little clarity Monday on the status of wide receiver A.J. Brown, who sat out Sunday’s 24-19 win over the Miami Dolphins with a knee injury.
Brown’s availability for Week 9 remains uncertain as the Patriots prepare to host the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
“We’ll see how he progresses during the week. He’s getting treatment here,” Vrabel said Monday. “We’ll see Wednesday what those guys that were unavailable for the game, and what they look like and whatever came up during the game.”
The 29-year-old is in his first season with New England after arriving via trade from the Philadelphia Eagles in June. He has appeared in just three games this year and has nine receptions for 101 yards with no touchdowns on 20 targets.
Brown opened the season by suffering a high-ankle sprain in Week 1 at Seattle and spent the next four games on injured reserve. He returned for games against the Jets and Bears before the knee issue surfaced last week and forced him out of the Miami matchup.
The Patriots were aware of a degenerative condition in Brown’s right knee at the time of the trade, according to executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. The medical staff signed off on the deal after evaluating him.
In Brown’s absence Sunday, the receiving corps stepped up. DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism combined for nine catches on nine targets for 156 yards and two touchdowns in the second-half comeback.
Quarterback Drake Maye completed 16 of 20 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns while adding a rushing score. Maye now has 1,983 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and eight interceptions through eight games.
The victory improved the Patriots to 5-3 overall and 3-0 in the AFC East. They trail the Buffalo Bills by one game in the division.
Brown’s career numbers show consistent production before this year’s limited sample. He has 533 receptions for 8,130 yards and 56 touchdowns across 108 regular-season games with the Titans, Eagles and Patriots. He posted 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven scores in 15 games with Philadelphia last season.
Vrabel was equally noncommittal about tight end Hunter Henry, who left the Dolphins game in the second quarter with a foot injury and did not return. Henry has 29 receptions for 326 yards and two touchdowns this season, ranking among the team’s leading targets.
Mack Hollins and Reggie Gilliam could potentially return to the practice field this week. Both are on injured reserve and have reached the point where they are eligible for activation.
Hollins has been dealing with a calf issue, while Gilliam is recovering from knee and ankle problems. Vrabel noted that roster spots would need to be created if either is activated.
The Patriots’ receiving group has leaned on younger options and other veterans during Brown’s absences. Douglas leads the team with 332 receiving yards.
Brown’s limited snaps and production so far mark a sharp departure from his recent seasons, when he regularly topped 1,000 yards. His longest catch this year is 18 yards.
The Packers enter the matchup with a 5-3 record. New England’s ability to generate explosive plays through the air will be tested regardless of Brown’s status.
Practice reports later this week will provide the first official indication of whether Brown can resume on-field work before Sunday’s kickoff.
