Wide receiver A.J. Brown made his comeback after four games sidelined with a right high ankle sprain, but his Sunday performance against the Jets left a lot to be desired. He had three drops in a game where he caught just three of ten passes for 27 yards. Now, the Patriots are facing a short week with a Thursday night game against the Bears looming, and the team just released an estimated injury report detailing some significant concerns.
Key Players Limping Into Thursday
Brown’s “limited” status on the estimated report is a big worry, especially after his struggles Sunday. Three drops is tough to stomach for a guy just coming back, and you gotta wonder if that ankle is still bothering him more than they’re letting on, or if he’s just rusty. Either way, they need him sharp, especially with a quick turnaround. Adding to the offensive line woes, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, who left Sunday’s game with a foot injury and didn’t return, was also listed as limited. Losing a starting tackle, even for an estimated report, heading into a physical Thursday night game is never good news. Corners Channing Canada and Karon Prunty are also battling hamstring issues, both listed as limited.
A Growing List Of Absences
The “non-participants” list for the Patriots’ estimated report is pretty hefty. Kicker Andy Borregales is out with a personal matter. On the offensive line, Ben Brown is dealing with a knee issue and Alijah Vera-Tucker has a hamstring injury, both estimated as non-participants. That’s a lot of O-line depth potentially missing. Cornerback Carlton Davis III has a neck injury, and defensive tackle Joshua Farmer is also out due to a personal matter. This team is banged up, and for an estimated report when they didn’t even practice, it tells you what they’re dealing with behind the scenes.
Some Good News Amidst The Concerns
It’s not all bad news, though. The Patriots did have a fair number of players listed as full participants. Offensive tackles Marcus Bryant (ankle) and Will Campbell (knee) were both full go, which is a positive for their offensive line depth. Safeties Kevin Byard III (chest) and Craig Woodson (shoulder) are also looking good, as is linebacker Christian Elliss (chest) and running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle). Even quarterback Drake Maye, who’s been battling a right shoulder issue, was a full participant. And Dre’Mont Jones, a key defensive piece, was also full go despite a shoulder issue. Still, with the short week and so many key guys like Moses and Brown nursing injuries or shaking off rust, it’s going to be a real test for this team against the Bears on Thursday night. They’ve gotta get it together, fast.
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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