New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) is eligible to return from injured reserve for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, but Locked On Patriots host Nick Cattles believes the team should keep him sidelined for one more week. Cattles argued that Brown’s long-term availability matters more than rushing him back into a home matchup New England should be equipped to win without him.
The Patriots placed Brown on injured reserve on Sept. 12 after he suffered a high ankle sprain. The club has not announced whether it will activate him for the Jets game, and Cattles stressed that the decision belongs with the coaching staff and organization rather than a veteran receiver expected to want back on the field.
Cattles’ preferred plan would give Brown four additional days of recovery before a Thursday night road game against the Chicago Bears. He sees that matchup as the more demanding spot, particularly if Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams returns, and said New England will need its offense closer to full strength on a short week.
There is a reasonable counterargument for a limited role against the Jets. Cattles said Brown could use managed snaps to regain game conditioning before Chicago, provided he is medically cleared. Still, he cautioned against asking a 29-year-old receiver to return from an ankle injury and then play twice in five days, given the cutting and change-of-direction demands of the position.
Brown’s status also carries added weight after Mack Hollins went on injured reserve without an immediate wide receiver addition. Cattles said that sequence makes a return more plausible, but he maintained that a healthy Brown for the Bears would offer more value than an accelerated comeback against the Jets.
The Patriots can remove the uncertainty by activating Brown before Sunday, but the larger decision is whether the medical staff and coaches believe a short ramp-up helps more than another week of recovery. The answer will shape how much pressure falls on the rest of the offense against the Jets and in Chicago.
Patriots News and Notes
– Running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle) is expected to miss multiple weeks with a high ankle sprain, ESPN reported Tuesday. Cattles identified Corey Kiner as the likely backup behind Rhamondre Stevenson and said Lan Larison could be elevated to deepen the backfield.
– Left tackle Will Campbell (knee) avoided a major injury and is considered week-to-week, according to Tom Pelissero. Cattles said rookie tackle Caleb Lomu could receive an important short-term opportunity, while cautioning against treating a limited fill-in stretch as a reason to move Campbell from left tackle midseason.
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