A.J. Brown misses Patriots practice with knee flare-up

Brown had been limited all week, but he wasn't in the locker room during the open period Thursday, and he never showed up for practice. Then Rapoport explained why.

Ian Rapoport

@RapSheet

#Patriots WR AJ Brown, not spotted at practice today, is not practicing because of a knee issue that has flared up, sources say. Brown also was listed on yesterday's injury report with an ankle. Knee was added, as well, and his status for Sunday is up in the air.

That's a bad turn. Wednesday's injury report already had Brown down for the ankle, and the knee was added the same day. The Patriots still let him go as a limited participant Wednesday, then listed him as a non-participant Thursday. Reiss pointed out that the knee showing up Wednesday was new. Brown had been limited in every practice since coming back from IR, but that was all about the ankle.

For context on the ankle: Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1 against the Seahawks and landed on injured reserve. New England opened his 21-day practice window on October 14 and he has played 2 games since. Josh McDaniels summed up how little he's been on the field this season: "He's played eight quarters in almost two months and had four practices." He's been playing catch-up the whole time, and now the knee has him missing practices again.

Here's the part that should worry Patriots fans. The knee isn't a surprise to the front office. When New England sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth to Philadelphia for Brown in June, Eliot Wolf said the team knew what it was buying: "He's got a knee that has some wear and tear that we were aware of." That's a known risk, and it's acting up 2 games into his comeback.

With Brown out, practice gave a look at what the receiver room looks like without him.

Mike Reiss

@MikeReiss

With A.J. Brown not at practice, the team had Pop Douglas leading WR drills, with Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III next in line. The team also has WRs Kyle Dixon, Chandler Brayboy, Cameron Dorner and Ryan Miller on the practice squad.

Ian Rapoport

@RapSheet

#Patriots WR AJ Brown, not spotted at practice today, is not practicing because of a knee issue that has flared up, sources say. Brown also was listed on yesterday's injury report with an ankle. Knee was added, as well, and his status for Sunday is up in the air. t.co/WvVJl6S6J6

Pop Douglas was leading the receiver drills, with Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III next in line. If Brown can't go Sunday, that's your Miami plan. Douglas is a reliable slot guy, but none of these guys replaces the big outside receiver New England paid a first-rounder for. The practice squad can add depth, not a WR1.

Receivers coach Todd Downing wouldn't touch the health question and kicked it to Mike Vrabel. He was then asked whether it's frustrating that Brown keeps losing practice reps right when he needs them most.

Mike Reiss

@MikeReiss

Video: WRs coach Todd Downing, who deferred questions on A.J. Brown’s health status to Mike Vrabel, is asked if there are frustrations for Brown not being able to practice today and build in his return from IR. t.co/KAy9oHNCy9

Downing has been backing Brown publicly, saying he isn't worried about him and that the results they hoped for are "right around the corner." That's harder to believe while the guy is in the training room instead of at practice. Watch Friday's injury report. If Brown is out again and gets a designation, the Patriots are probably playing the Dolphins with Douglas as WR1. If he gets back on the field even as a limited participant, you'd have to call it a game-time decision. Either way, the knee the Patriots said they knew about is now the biggest question about their season.