The Patriots might get A.J. Brown back for Sunday’s showdown against the Jets, but the team is taking every second down to the wire to figure it out. Brown, battling an ankle injury, is officially listed as questionable for Week 6. This isn’t just a minor hurdle, folks, because if he even steps on the field, the team has to pull the trigger and activate him to the 53-man roster. Talk about high stakes right before game day.
Vrabel Playing It Close to the Vest on Brown’s Status
Head Coach Mike Vrabel isn’t exactly spilling the beans, which is exactly what you’d expect. He told reporters Friday, “We won’t make that decision until tomorrow, so we’ll have to see how he responds from practice today and then go from there.” You gotta wonder how much of that is genuine uncertainty and how much is just classic coach-speak to keep the Jets guessing. Vrabel did admit Brown “looks OK,” but he’s also watching his conditioning level. “Some good plays, some bad plays,” he added. That sounds like a guy who’s not quite 100%, and in the NFL, “not quite 100%” can be a big problem, especially against a divisional rival.
Henderson and Campbell Also Hanging in the Balance
It’s not just Brown making everyone sweat. Running back TreVeyon Henderson, dealing with an ankle issue himself, is also questionable. Same goes for offensive tackle Will Campbell, who’s got a knee problem. Both of these guys have been limited in practice all week, and Vrabel’s take on them was pretty much a carbon copy of his Brown assessment: “Again, see how they come in and then we’ll evaluate and go from there.” It means they aren’t fully healthy, and that’s a huge hit to an offense trying to find its rhythm. Losing key pieces at running back and on the offensive line can wreck game plans in an instant.
On the brighter side, cornerback Christian Gonzalez (shoulder) is finally off the injury report and is expected to play. He said earlier in the week he’d be ready, and it looks like he is. That’s a massive relief for the secondary. But then you’ve got Carlton Davis (neck) and Karon Prunty (hamstring) both definitively ruled out, along with offensive tackle Marcus Bryant (ankle). It’s a rough list of outs, and it leaves the team with some serious holes to fill come Sunday. The Jets are coming to town, and you can bet they’re licking their chops looking at this injury report. The Patriots need every healthy body they can get to make a statement this weekend.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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