Patriots' A.J. Brown injury setback leaves Mike Vrabel short of options ahead of Dolphins matchup

A.J. Brown initially participated on a limited basis on Wednesday, but his injury designation was updated to include the knee issue alongside the ankle sprain.

The New England Patriots are preparing for their Week 8 road matchup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday as head coach Mike Vrabel looks to guide the team back to winning ways following last week's defeat to the Chicago Bears.

A.J. Brown previously missed four games because of his high ankle sprain. (AP Photo)

However, the Patriots have encountered another setback on the injury front, with star wide receiver A.J. Brown ruled out for Sunday's divisional contest, the team confirmed Saturday.

A.J. Brown sidelined for Week 8 divisional fixture

Brown's continued fitness concerns have become an issue for the Patriots since his arrival, with another injury setback leaving Vrabel's offensive plans facing further disruption.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, a knee issue resurfaced for Brown during this week's practice sessions. “#Patriots WR AJ Brown, not spotted at practice today, is not practicing because of a knee issue that has flared up, sources say,” Rapoport tweeted on X.

The 29-year-old wide receiver initially participated on a limited basis on Wednesday, but his injury designation was subsequently updated to include the knee problem alongside the right high ankle sprain he suffered during the season opener, which had previously forced him onto injured reserve.

Ahead of Wednesday's practice, Brown admitted that his ankle was still bothering him and that he had not fully recovered his usual burst and explosiveness on the field.

Nevertheless, he refused to use the lingering issue as an excuse, stating, "None of that stuff matters. I'm out here, so I'm going."

Patriots face limited receiver options

Brown's absence presents another challenge for an already depleted New England receiving group. With the wide receiver ruled out, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III are the only healthy wideouts remaining on the team's 53-man roster.

Brown's injury struggles continue

Brown previously missed four games because of his high ankle sprain before making his return to the lineup. However, his production has remained limited since coming back, with the wide receiver managing just six receptions for 75 yards on 16 targets across his two appearances.

The Patriots had also been relatively aggressive with Brown's workload after activating him from injured reserve on October 14. He played 102 of the team's 122 offensive snaps across the victory over the New York Jets on October 18 and the subsequent loss to the Chicago Bears on October 22.

The latest knee concern has now interrupted his efforts to regain full fitness, leaving the Patriots without one of their primary offensive weapons for another important matchup.