ESPN insider Adam Schefter delivered a blunt assessment on Thursday regarding the star wideout’s health, noting that the knee is the real problem. “It flared up. …I know it says ankle and knee [on New England’s injury report], but it’s the knee,” Schefter said during an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up”.
Brown has been a ghost for most of the season. So far, the team has played nine games, yet he appeared in just three, tallying 101 yards on nine receptions. The 29-year-old missed the Week 8 win against the Miami Dolphins because his knee held him out. Now, that same injury is threatening to keep him out again for Sunday’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers at Gillette Stadium. Schefter made it clear that this isn’t just a short-term issue. “And the knee held him out last week, and the knee is threatening to hold him out this week,” Schefter noted.
Known Risks From Day One
The Patriots knew exactly what they were buying when they traded a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder to the Philadelphia Eagles. The concerns were not a secret. Schefter revealed that multiple teams hesitated to trade for Brown because of these specific knee worries. “Let’s go back to the offseason, when Philadelphia was shopping A.J. Brown and they were talking to teams,” Schefter said. He added that the Los Angeles Rams had advanced talks but walked away because they had “concerns about his knee.”
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf admitted the team was aware of a “degenerative knee condition” before the deal closed. “He’s got a knee that has some wear and tear that we were aware of,” Wolf told Yahoo Sports. The medical staff signed off on the risk, but the results so far are poor. Earlier, a sprained ankle placed Brown on injured reserve for four games, but a recent knee flare-up has now caused him to skip four consecutive practices.
Long-Term Future in Doubt
The most damaging part of Schefter’s report is the question about Brown’s entire tenure in Foxborough. The injury could limit how long he stays in New England and whether he can play at an elite level. “It’s a knee that I think raises some concerns as to how long he’s gonna keep playing here in New England, and producing at a high level,” Schefter stated. The team paid a huge price for a player who has barely suited up.
Head coach Mike Vrabel played it safe when asked about Brown returning from the injury. “Again, I can just speak on today and where he’s at today and what we feel like he can do today,” Vrabel said. He confirmed Brown would not practice on Wednesday. If Brown cannot play on Sunday, he will have appeared in just three games this season. The Patriots cannot afford to lose their top receiver for the stretch run, but the medical reality might force their hand. The team is stuck with a $26 million dead cap charge if they release him, but keeping an injured star might cost them the season.
