Overview
- Brown, who injured his right ankle on Sept. 9, suffered an MRI‑confirmed high‑ankle sprain and was placed on the Patriots’ injured reserve.
- ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Brown has shown encouraging movement and appears closer to the quicker side of a roughly six‑week recovery.
- Being on IR enforces a minimum four‑game absence, which makes a timetable of late October or early November the most likely window for a return.
- The Patriots have redistributed targets to Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas while the offense shows low scoring and no passing touchdowns since Brown’s injury.
- Brown’s injury matters beyond a single game because the club paid a first‑round pick to acquire him and high‑ankle sprains vary for perimeter receivers, so his progress and the team’s performance against a tough early schedule will shape New England’s short‑term plans.