A.J. Brown Injury Update, New Rumors on Patriots WR 'Pushing Hard' to Shorten Return Timeline

As the New England Patriots continue to seek answers for their struggling offense, one thing that could help is A.J. Brown potentially returning as soon as he is eligible to come off injured reserve.

Per NFL insider Tom Pelissero , Brown is "pushing hard" to be back the first week he is eligible to play in Week 6 against the New York Jets.

The biggest offseason acquisition for New England, Brown played just 31 offensive snaps in Week 1 before suffering an ankle injury against the Seattle Seahawks.

An MRI confirmed Brown's injury was a high-ankle sprain that landed him on IR. The move meant he had to sit out at least the Patriots' next four games.

Typical recovery time from the injury can range from one to six weeks, with a grade 2 sprain taking longer to heal.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport , the initial expectation was Brown would likely miss six weeks.

A six-week timeline would keep Brown out through Week 7. He is eligible to be activated off IR and start practicing after the Patriots' game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 11.

Brown's desire to return as soon as possible comes as the Patriots are trying to avoid falling into an even bigger hole in the AFC. They have lost two of their first three games and will play the undefeated Buffalo Bills on Sunday.

The offense has been a huge problem in New England thus far. The Patriots have yet to score more than 20 points in a game. Drake Maye, who had eight interceptions during the entire 2025 regular season, has thrown an NFL-high six picks through three games this season.

Mack Hollins is the Patriots' leading pass-catcher by receptions (12) and receiving yards (156). No other player on the team has reached double-digits in catches.