In Week One of the 2026 NFL season, New England Patriots three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain against the defending Super Bowl Champion Seattle Seahawks. It has been projected that this injury would cost the 29-year-old a minimum of four games. This past week, Brown has been limited in practice on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and he is questionable to play in the Patriots’ Week Six matchup against the New York Jets, where New England hopes they can jump to 4-2. Now, the big question is whether the three-time Pro Bowler can return to the field and immediately make a positive impact.
Over the past two weeks, the Patriots offense has been rolling. They scored 29 points in a big Week Four win on the road against the Buffalo Bills. The following week, New England dropped 45 points on a Las Vegas Raiders team that once held a 3-0 record. Mack Hollins has been quarterback Drake Maye’s most reliable target. Romeo Doubs has drastically improved since his first few games in a Patriots jersey, and Hunter Henry continues to be a trusted target as well. The thought of adding Brown to this offense can only be salivating for the Patriots front office.
The thought is that adding the three-time Pro Bowler to New England’s offense will only improve this team’s offense even more. However, there has to be the “what if” about whether Brown struggles in his return to the field. The 29-year-old grew up a Patriots fan, and the thought of playing in Foxborough has been a dream come true. During his first game with the Patriots, Brown had three receptions for 26 receiving yards. He surely wants to go back out on the field and show what he‘s truly capable of, dominating at every turn and being a top receiver in the National Football League.
Yet, what if Brown struggles? If he returns in Week Six against the Jets and does not show up, New England perhaps should be worried. While we still have half a season to play, the thought of the three-time Pro Bowler not meeting expectations would hurt the Patriots’ chances of appearing in a second consecutive Super Bowl, let alone being AFC Champions once again. Maye will be fully relying on Brown as the season progresses. If the 29-year-old receiver cannot pull in big plays for New England’s offense, then there have to be more questions that arise.
Should Brown have an impact once returning to the field, the Patriots should be fine for the rest of the 2026 season, easily being a playoff team once again. Yet, if the three-time Pro Bowler shows signs of struggle, Maye and New England’s offense will need to rely on Hollins, Doubs, Henry, and others to continue being key contributors. Having Brown back could help the Patriots against tougher teams such as the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and the Bills. The 29-year-old must show that this high ankle sprain won’t negatively impact his play on the field going forward.
