New England Patriots
Brown is now set to miss at least four games.
A.J. Brown after injuring his ankle in the Patriots-Seahawks opener. AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson
September 11, 2026 | 2:15 PM
1 minute to read
The Patriots are set to officially lose one of the team’s top talents for at least four games.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, New England is placing wide receiver A.J. Brown on injured reserve after the 29-year-old suffered a high-ankle sprain in Wednesday’s season-opening 13-10 loss to the Seahawks.
The decision means that Brown will miss a minimum of four games (due to NFL injured reserve roster rules).
Brown had three catches for 26 yards in his Patriots debut in Seattle prior to exiting with the injury. After he departed the game, New England’s offense struggled.
Replacing him will be a difficult task, especially after the recent decision to trade Kayshon Boutte to the Texans. Romeo Doubs (held to zero catches in his own Patriots debut on Wednesday), Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism comprise the rest of the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart.
Patriots set to add Jones
One additional Patriots transaction from Friday morning was the news via NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport that free agent defensive tackle DaQuan Jones is “expected to sign” a one-year deal worth up to $6 million. The contract, per Rapoport, has a $3.5 million base.
Jones, 34, most recently played last season for the Bills (where he spent four seasons). At 6-foot-4, 320-pounds, Jones can help add strength to New England’s interior defense, especially against the run.
He also has overlap with New England head coach Mike Vrabel from their time with the Titans (Jones was drafted by Tennessee in 2014, and played their through the 2020 season). He played under Vrabel for three seasons.
Hayden Bird
Hayden Bird is a sports staff writer for Boston.com, where he has worked since 2016. He covers all things sports in New England.
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