Patriots' A.J. Brown takes a big step toward return to the field

The New England Patriots have been having to make magic happen without their new star wide receiver, A.J. Brown, but some good news broke on Wednesday that shows there's light at the end of the tunnel.

During his Wednesday news conference, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel stated that Brown would return to practice that day. NFL insider Tom Pelissero also took to social media to report the news, stating that the Patriots are opening Brown's practice window on Wednesday.

"Everything is trending positively for him to return soon and this is the next step," Pelissero posted on X.

A.J. Brown's return could give the Patriots a major boost

Brown has been on injured reserve since suffering a high ankle sprain during the team's Week 1 game. Having Brown back means having a key piece of their 2026-27 roster back. New England traded for Brown on June 1, making a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles. The deal gave the Patriots a veteran receiving option while reuniting Brown with Vrabel, who coached him during their time together with the Tennessee Titans.

Philadelphia didn't let Brown go without receiving significant draft compensation. The Eagles secured a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round selection in exchange for the wideout.

For New England, the trade puts Brown back with a coach who already knows his game from their time in Tennessee. The move also gives the Patriots a new target at wide receiver as they look to strengthen their offense. Considering that the team is 3-2 heading into its weekend game against the New York Jets, it could use him back to help keep its record in the win column. Of course, we're still waiting on word on whether he'll be on the field against the Jets.