New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 1. His status for Sunday’s game, however, remains uncertain.
“It’s still up in the air,” Brown said Thursday. “Obviously, it’s going to be a Coach Vrabel decision to see where I’m at and make the better decision for the long haul, not just temporarily.”
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Brown’s return to practice opened the 21-day window for the Patriots to activate him from injured reserve. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels noted the “fresh juice” Brown’s presence brought to the rest of the offense.
Brown was happy to be back and was listed as a limited participant in his first practice.
“I felt pretty good,” Brown said. “One step at a time with me, each and every day, just trying to increase my load and just see how I respond each and every day. But it felt good just to be back.
“… It felt good just to be back on the grass practicing. Working on the side is a little boring.”
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As Brown hopes to add onto his workload daily, the next step was participating in the Patriots’ fully padded practice on Thursday.
“My focus is going out here today, just trying to get better, and then just see how I feel afterward,” Brown said. “You know, because today we’re in pads, and that’s a lot more moving. You know, yesterday we’re not, and guys aren’t really trying to touch you.”
New England faces a quick turnaround after Sunday’s game against the New York Jets, traveling to Chicago to take on the Bears on Thursday Night Football.
The short week could factor into the Patriots’ decision on Brown’s availability, though the team is preparing for either possibility.
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“Would we know how we’re going to go ahead and play the game or use those packages if he doesn’t make it? Yes, we have already talked about that, and the guys are studying both ends of the spectrum,” McDaniels said. “And I’d say that’s a credit to the guys because you you talk about Chis, Kyle, Romeo, Pop, Eli, Hunter. They all know multiple positions, and that’s a great strength of our group in that we have some versatility.”
