boston
The New England Patriots are dealing with a mixed bag of injury updates as they prepare for their Week 8 matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. While the extended rest between Week 7 and Week 8 seemed to benefit several players, one key contributor has seen his health take a turn for the worse.
A.J. Brown's Knee Issue
Wide receiver A.J. Brown, who was activated from injured reserve on October 17 after recovering from a high-ankle sprain, is now listed as questionable with a knee injury that surfaced in recent days. The 29-year-old has struggled in his two games back, managing just six receptions for 75 yards on 16 targets from quarterback Drake Maye, with no touchdowns. While the ankle didn't appear to be the problem, Brown's lack of production raised questions about rust or hesitancy. The hope was that the extra off-days would help him get back on track, but instead, he was unable to finish practice on Wednesday and did not participate on Thursday or Friday.
Head coach Mike Vrabel offered little clarity on Brown's status during his Friday press conference. "We'll see how he comes in tomorrow (Saturday), and then we'll make a decision," Vrabel said. He would not confirm whether the knee issue arose during Wednesday's practice but acknowledged that Brown had to leave early. "Just like everything else, when you come out of the game or a long week or practice on Monday, you evaluate the player. He just wasn't able to practice or finish practice on Wednesday," Vrabel explained. The second-year coach also dismissed the idea that Brown's knee problem was related to rushing him back from the ankle injury, calling them separate issues. Vrabel declined to comment on the severity of the injury or whether Brown might miss significant time.
Other Questionable Players
Running back TreVeyon Henderson is also questionable after missing the last two practices due to an illness. Henderson has been managing a nagging knee injury since the preseason and has had a disappointing season, with just one touchdown—which came in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers—and 203 rushing yards on 8 first downs. He has also contributed five receptions for 45 yards on seven targets. If Henderson is unable to play, the Patriots may lean on Rhamondre Stevenson, who has improved after early-season fumbling issues, and Corey Kiner, whose role diminished against the Bears but has proven reliable.
Cornerback Carlton Davis (neck) and linebacker Christian Elliss (chest) are also listed as questionable, despite practicing in full all week. Davis told reporters earlier in the week that he expects to play for the first time since Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills.
Positive Injury News
Despite the concern surrounding Brown, the Patriots received encouraging news elsewhere, as nine players were removed from the injury report on Friday. The list includes quarterback Drake Maye (right shoulder), offensive linemen Ben Brown (knee), Marcus Bryant (ankle), and Morgan Moses (foot), safety Kevin Byard (chest), cornerbacks Channing Canada (hamstring) and Karon Prunty (hamstring), defensive tackle DaQuan Jones (back), and tackle Marcus Bryant, who is designated for return from injured reserve. The improved health of three offensive linemen is particularly important given the season-ending injury to left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, who was placed on IR last week. Vera-Tucker is not expected to miss the entire season but won't be eligible to return until Week 12 at the earliest. Vrabel said on Friday that he is unsure what the starting offensive line combination will look like on Sunday.
Originally reported by boston.