# A.J. Brown lands on IR after Week 1

> New England's best receiver is out at least four games with a high ankle sprain, right as the schedule turns brutal.
- Title: A.J. Brown lands on IR after Week 1 · Newsweek | Shortify
- Summary: New England's best receiver is out at least four games with a high ankle sprain, right as the schedule turns brutal. The Patriots lose their top receiver for…
- Keywords: nfl, patriots, injury, a.j. brown, wide receiver, Brown, lands, Week, Newsweek
- Source: Newsweek — https://newsweek.com/sports/nfl/patriots-get-brutal-a-j-brown-injury-update-after-nightmare-week-1-12433167
- Author: Michael DeRosa
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: nfl, patriots, injury, a.j. brown, wide receiver
## The update nobody wanted
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Patriots are placing wide receiver A.J. Brown on injured reserve. There is no soft version of this news.
## A high ankle sprain
Brown hurt the ankle in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks. High ankle sprains are slow to heal, and this one costs him at least four weeks.
## He was the plan
Brown was set to anchor the Patriots offense this season. Now the team's best receiver is unavailable for a meaningful stretch of it.

> this is terrible news for the Patriots
## Bad start, worse timing
New England already opened the season on the wrong foot. The bounce-back has to happen without the player it was built around.
## Four games, no cushion
The stretch Brown misses runs through the Steelers, Jaguars, Bills and Raiders. A division game against Buffalo sits right in the middle.
## A debut cut short
Brown caught three passes for 26 yards in his Patriots debut. Last season in Philadelphia he put up 78 catches, 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
## Key takeaway

The Patriots lose their top receiver for a month, starting with Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Buffalo and Las Vegas.