Leading 10-0 early in the third quarter, the Patriots were on their way to pulling an upset in Wednesday’s season-opening Super Bowl LX rematch with the Seahawks. The wheels came off in the fourth quarter during a 13-10 defeat, though, and now New England will go without its top receiver for a while.
A.J. Brown, the crown jewel addition of the Patriots’ offseason, walked off the field with an ankle injury early in the third and did not return. An MRI confirmed that Brown has a high ankle sprain, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who adds he will miss at least four games.
Veteran insider Jordan Schultz offers a three- to six-week timeline, adding that a stint on injured reserve is a possibility. Brown would have to sit out a minimum of four games in that case, which would shelve him for matchups against the Steelers, Jaguars, Bills and Raiders.
It was obvious throughout the offseason that the Eagles were going to trade Brown, who was not shy to voice his frustration with their offense last year. The Patriots were long considered the frontrunners to acquire Brown, who played for Pats head coach Mike Vrabel in Tennessee from 2019-21. However, for financial reasons, a trade had to wait until June 1 at 4 p.m. ET.
It would have been too detrimental to the Eagles’ cap to pull the trigger on a Brown trade before June. That said, they still had to eat $48.59MM in dead money ($21.8MM this year and $27.1MM next season) when they sent Brown to the Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
Brown, who is under contract through 2029 on the three-year, $92MM extension he signed in 2024, came to New England to lead a remade receiving corps. The reigning AFC champions released Stefon Diggs, their No. 1 receiver last year, and quickly brought in former Packer Romeo Doubs on a four-year, $68MM pact in free agency. With Brown and Doubs locked in as starters and Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism also earning spots, the Patriots decided there was no room for Kayshon Boutte. Six days before the cutdown deadline in late August, they shipped Boutte to the Texans for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-rounder.
Brown totaled a modest three catches and 26 yards in his Patriots debut, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The three-time Pro Bowler/second-team All-Pro also drew a second-quarter, 34-yard pass interference penalty that gave the Patriots the ball at the Seahawks’ 2-yard line. Quarterback Drake Maye found rookie tight end Eli Raridon for a touchdown on the next play. It was the offense’s only TD during a forgettable night for Maye & Co.
Hollins led the Patriots with four receptions for 51 yards in Week 1, while Doubs went without a catch on three targets. Worsening matters, he had a costly drop in the fourth quarter. With Brown now out for at least a few weeks, it will be all the more important for Doubs to rebound from his woeful Patriots debut and begin living up to his contract starting Week 2.
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