The trade that brought A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots was meant to give the Patriots a receiver opposing defenses could not ignore. Instead, his first season with the franchise has been interrupted by injuries before the offense could settle around him. A high ankle sprain ended his opener, and a knee issue surfaced as he worked back into the lineup. Because he got hurt again, it is unclear whether he will be able to play in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.
New England now has to figure out if Brown is good enough to make up for the trouble he caused before he got hurt.
The A.J. Brown Injury Isn’t the Only Problem With the Offense
Patriots Prepare Without A.J. Brown
Brown might not play in Sunday’s big game against the Dolphins because his ankle and knee are hurting. He could only practice a little bit on Wednesday and then he missed practice on Thursday and Friday. The team will check on him Saturday to see if he is ready, which is worrying because he already missed four games earlier this season with an injury.
New England went 3-1 during the four games Brown missed. The Patriots beat Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Las Vegas, although the 35-6 loss to Jacksonville exposed how far the offense could fall when things went wrong. That record does not prove the team is better without Brown. The sample is small, and the opponents were different. But it does show that his absence did not make the offense incapable of producing points.
The two strongest performances in that stretch came against Buffalo and Las Vegas. Drake Maye threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns in the 29-26 win over the Bills. One week later, he passed for 374 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-17 victory over the Raiders. Brown was on injured reserve for both games. Those performances suggest Maye can lead a productive offense without his top receiver.
Brown Has Not Delivered Expected Production
Brown’s reputation is not in question. He is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and earned AP Second-Team All-Pro honors in 2024. New England brought him in to give Maye a reliable outside target and make defenses account for another major threat. His current numbers, however, have not matched that expectation.
Through three appearances, Brown has nine catches for 101 yards and no touchdowns on 20 targets. Since returning against the Jets in Week 6, he has caught six passes for 75 yards on 16 targets. He managed 27 yards against New York and 48 against Chicago. Those figures are modest for a receiver with his track record, but they also come after a serious ankle injury and limited practice time. Three games are not enough to judge what he can produce once healthy.
Drake Maye’s Numbers Point to Other Problems
The Patriots’ offense has not struggled to gain yards every week. It has produced 2,625 total yards through seven games, averaging 375 per contest. Maye has completed 65.9 percent of his passes for 1,784 yards and 13 touchdowns. That production gives the offense a workable foundation, even without Brown available.
The problems become clearer when New England needs to finish drives. The Patriots have converted 34 of 86 third-down attempts, a 39.5 percent rate. They have also scored touchdowns on only 11 of 20 red-zone trips. Maye has thrown eight interceptions, too, following early-season turnover problems that saw him turn the ball over seven times through his first three games. Brown can help create bigger plays, but he cannot fix turnovers or make the offense more reliable on third down by himself.
Patriots Need More Healthy Options
Brown’s uncertain status is more serious because the receiver group is already thin. Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs remain on injured reserve, leaving New England with limited depth at the position. Hunter Henry leads the team with 296 receiving yards, while DeMario Douglas has 256. Both have contributed, but the Patriots still need a dependable outside threat who can stretch coverage and give Maye another option downfield.
That is where Brown’s return matters. His presence should make life easier for the other receivers and give Maye a proven target in key situations. But New England cannot build its entire offensive plan around a player whose health remains uncertain. The coaching staff must also improve its third-down execution, protect the football and find ways to keep drives alive when the first option is covered.
The Last Word
The Patriots have reason to want Brown back, especially with their receiver depth weakened by injuries. His history suggests he can become a major part of the offense once he is healthy and has time to build rhythm with Maye.
But the results from his absence show that New England’s problems did not begin with his injury. The offense has produced strong games without him, yet it still needs better decisions and more consistent execution. As of Friday, October 30, Brown remained questionable for Miami. He had nine catches for 101 yards and no touchdowns in three games. New England needs that production to rise, but it also needs the rest of the offense to improve.
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