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On Wednesday, New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel officially opened the 21-day return-to-play window for wide receiver A.J. Brown, permitting the team to elevate him from injured reserve at any point within that timeframe. Brown, acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, suffered a high ankle sprain in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks 36 days ago. He practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday for the first time since Week 1. With his window now open, the Super Bowl-winning receiver could suit up as early as this week against the New York Jets.
But how does Brown's return impact the rest of the Patriots? Which players and coaches stand to gain or lose opportunities? Here are the winners and losers of Brown's imminent comeback.
Winner: Josh McDaniels
For nearly a game and a half, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels has operated the Patriots' offense with only four wide receivers. After Mack Hollins went down in the third quarter of Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills, McDaniels was forced to dig deep into his playbook to maximize the passing game. Since the receiving corps was trimmed to four, the group has caught five touchdowns (excluding Drake Maye's pass to Hunter Henry). McDaniels' ability to distribute the ball and utilize alternative targets in the absence of Brown and Hollins has been outstanding. Now, with Brown back, McDaniels can expand his playbook—one he designed with Brown as the primary option. The Patriots regain the ability to stretch the field and spread out opposing defenses, leveraging Brown's downfield receiving skills.
Loser: Efton Chism III
In the wake of a depleted receiver room, Efton Chism III has stepped up unexpectedly. In Week 4, he scored the game-winning touchdown on a highlight-reel play. Chism also recorded a career-high five receptions and 57 yards in Sunday's win over Las Vegas. However, his unforeseen impact is partly due to the absences at receiver. In Week 1—the only week the entire receiver room was healthy—the second-year undrafted free agent was a healthy scratch. From Weeks 2-5, Chism's snap percentage increased by an average of 12% per week, culminating in 76% of snaps in Week 5. While Brown's return will likely reduce Chism's playing time compared to recent weeks, the scrappy and athletic receiver may have earned more opportunities than the Patriots originally planned for him this season.
Winner: Romeo Doubs
Romeo Doubs was the Patriots' first significant free-agent signing at receiver in years. He entered the season expecting to be the team's No. 2 target opposite Brown. After Brown's injury, Doubs became the most targeted player on offense. However, of the 23 targets from quarterback Drake Maye, he has only caught 13. Doubs' inefficiency has plagued his first several games in New England. With Brown back, Doubs will return to the secondary receiver role, allowing him to play the position he learned all summer and keeping opposing defenses' top cornerbacks off him.
Loser: Tight Ends
Like Chism, the tight end group has thrived in Brown's absence. Both veteran Hunter Henry and rookie Eli Raridon have caught a touchdown this year and been reliable presences in the passing game. Henry, who has played with Maye in all three years of the young star's career, is a common safety net on third or fourth down. While Henry will remain the No. 1 tight end, Brown will also be a reliable outlet for Maye. Raridon, on the other hand, may see fewer targets. Because the receiving group was limited to four players, Raridon often found himself on the field with Henry in two-tight-end sets. Adding a fifth receiver reduces the need for Raridon to be on the field simultaneously with Henry. Prior to Sunday's game, Raridon was averaging one catch per game across his three games with playing time.
Winner: Drake Maye
After a definitively slow start to the season, Drake Maye has been the best quarterback in the NFL over the past two weeks, throwing for 643 yards and notching seven total touchdowns. Though it feels like Maye has finally gotten comfortable with a new yet depleted receiving group, having his No. 1 receiver back can only benefit the young quarterback who has found confidence and caught fire recently. On Wednesday, Maye had a lot to say about practicing with Brown, including, "I think it definitely opens up other parts of the field and other parts of the game for guys. I think you see it in the NBA; it's probably the closest thing that I can think of." Over the summer, reports indicated that Brown and Maye's connection was fantastic. In the less than three quarters of real game action they saw, the pair connected for three catches and 26 yards and missed on one deep shot to the end zone. Brown will provide more opportunity for Maye to move the ball through the air.
Loser: Kyle Williams
Kyle Williams is another player whose playing time has increased significantly due to injuries. A third-round pick in last year's draft, Williams hasn't provided the level of production you'd expect from a player taken so highly. His ability to stretch the field and haul in deep passes has been exhilarating, but his average of 27 yards per catch isn't sustainable nor consistent. Williams has just five catches on the year, three of which came against the Raiders in Week 5. With Chism showing flashes of success, Williams may find himself at the bottom of the depth chart at wide receiver.
Loser: Injured Reserve Players/Reactivation Availability
Offensive tackle Marcus Bryant returned to practice along with Brown, signaling that the two (when officially elevated to the active roster) will be the third and fourth players the Patriots reactivate off injured reserve/non-football injury. New England can only activate eight players off injured reserve and have already done so with four (including Brown and Bryant). They'll be stuck with 11 players on IR and will only be able to activate four of them. Taking into account future injuries, the team will have to be very cautious about which injuries deserve IR designation and which players can stay on the active roster while they rehabilitate. Several starters like Hollins, FB Reggie Gilliam, and P Bryce Baringer are expected to make full recoveries at some point this season. Brown's return—though worthwhile—takes up another IR return designation of which the Patriots have very few.
Colby Shannon is a recent masters in sports journalism graduate from Indiana University, with experience covering the College Football Playoff, the NFL Combine, and the NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four. Shannon's work is featured in IU Blogs, Indianapolis Business Journal, and New England Football Journal. Prior to joining On SI, he interned with College Sports Communicators as a content creator. Follow cjshannon7.