A.J. Brown reappeared on the New England Patriots’ practice field Wednesday, giving the team a positive development as it prepares for Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions in Munich.
The wide receiver took part in an indoor session at Gillette Stadium, his first work since late October and the final practice before the squad flew to Germany that evening.
Multiple reporters on site documented his presence, noting that he led off the receiver drills and moved with the group after missing the previous two weeks of workouts.
Brown has suited up for only three games this season after the Patriots acquired him from the Philadelphia Eagles in June in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round selection.
He suffered a high ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and spent the next four games on injured reserve.
Once his practice window opened in mid-October he returned for Weeks 6 and 7, but a knee issue flared afterward—possibly aggravated by the short turnaround between a Sunday and Thursday game—and he has not played since the October 22 matchup against the Chicago Bears.
Through those three appearances he has caught nine of twenty targets for 101 yards and no touchdowns.
Head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed earlier that the plan is to bring Brown overseas so the medical and coaching staffs can continue evaluating him.
Traveling with the team does not automatically mean he will be active against the Lions, Vrabel has emphasized, and no final decision has been locked in. N
FL Network’s Tom Pelissero had previously indicated the organization was optimistic about a return “sooner rather than later,” possibly after the Week 11 bye, yet Wednesday’s participation keeps a Week 10 appearance in play.
Because Munich marks New England’s last contest before the bye, the coaching staff will have additional time afterward if Brown needs it.
The Patriots adjusted their travel schedule, departing a day earlier than in recent international trips. They will hold a walk-through on Thursday and a full practice on Friday in Germany before kickoff at 9:30 a.m. ET inside Allianz Arena.
Those two sessions, combined with Wednesday’s work in Foxborough, give the team three looks at Brown before it must decide whether he is ready to contribute.
Fullback Reggie Gilliam also returned from injured reserve, while several other players, including running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson, remained out.
How Brown responds in the remaining practices will determine whether the offense gets its biggest offseason addition back on the field in Germany.
