Patriots fans have shifted from excitement to concern regarding wide receiver A.J. Brown, whose current injury situation has raised doubts about his availability for the remainder of the season.
Chris Curtis, host of WEEI's "Greg Hill Show," expressed skepticism about Brown returning to the field this year, stating, "I don’t believe we will see him the rest of the season." This sentiment reportedly surprised his co-hosts.
Brown is currently listed on the Patriots' injury report with ankle and knee ailments. However, ESPN's Adam Schefter indicated that the primary concern is with his knee. Schefter reported that the knee injury, which caused Brown to miss the previous week's game, is now threatening his participation this week and raises questions about his long-term ability to play and produce at a high level in New England.
This is not the first time Brown's knee has been a point of concern. According to Schefter, several teams who showed interest in trading for Brown during the offseason were reportedly deterred by his knee issues. He specifically mentioned that discussions with the Los Angeles Rams for a potential trade were close to completion but were hampered by the Rams' concerns about his knee. Schefter noted that these concerns have now manifested for the Patriots this season.
Brown has had a limited impact since joining the Patriots. He played only 30 snaps in his debut before suffering a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for four games. Heading into Week 9, he had appeared in just three games, accumulating nine receptions for 101 yards and no touchdowns.
Earlier in the season, Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf acknowledged concerns about Brown's knee. Wolf stated in June that while the knee had "some wear and tear" that the team was aware of, their training and medical staff had cleared him. The team's medical staff reportedly signed off on his condition despite the pre-existing issues.