A.J. Brown heading to injured reserve, will miss at least 4 weeks with ankle injury, AP source says

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown will miss at least four weeks of the upcoming season due to a right ankle injury, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain during the second half of the Patriots' season-opening 13-10 loss to Seattle on Wednesday night. He was injured while attempting to catch a pass from Drake Maye and fell to the ground as Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett's knee made contact with his ankle.

Brown appeared in three games for the Patriots before his injury, recording three catches for a total of 26 yards. His absence represents a challenge for an offense that relied heavily on him as Maye's top receiving option following the loss of Stefon Diggs. The Patriots acquired Brown in a trade from Philadelphia in June, and he had consistently played all 17 regular-season games during his previous four seasons.

Super Bowl champion A.J. Brown joins a Patriots offense that will now need to rely on a variety of skill players to fill the void left by the injured wideout.