Patriots lose Brown and Henderson for Dolphins game

The New England Patriots will face the Miami Dolphins on Sunday without wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back TreVeyon Henderson. The team listed both players as out on Saturday, a change from their questionable status earlier in the week. This absence removes two major offensive contributors from the roster for the AFC East matchup.

Brown’s injury timeline has been complicated this season. He suffered a high-ankle sprain in the season opener and spent the next four games on injured reserve. He returned to action for the past two contests but added a knee issue to his practice report mid-week. The Patriots knew about a degenerative knee condition in Brown before trading for him in the offseason. They sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire him. The knee flared up while he was still recovering from the ankle injury.

Head coach Mike Vrabel explained the decision to sit Brown at his Friday news conference. He noted that the player could not finish practice on Wednesday. Vrabel stated, 'Just like everything else, when you come out of the game or a long week or practice on Monday, you evaluate the player. He just wasn’t able to practice or finish practice on Wednesday.' When asked if the team rushed Brown back, Vrabel replied, 'I think those are separate issues here.' He added that he is focused on preparing the team to win in Miami rather than worrying about long-term concerns.

Henderson will miss his second game this season. He sat out the opener with an ankle injury. The running back also played through a high-ankle sprain against the Raiders last season and returned the following week without missing additional time. His current absence is due to an illness.

Offensive tackle Marcus Bryant was also listed as out. Bryant had been on injured reserve all season but was designated to return. He practiced as a full participant all week but will not play on Sunday.

The Patriots made two roster moves on Saturday to address the absences. They signed running back Lan Larison from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. He will serve as the third running back behind Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner. The team also elevated wide receiver Ryan Miller from the practice squad. The Patriots will rely on Miller, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism at the wide receiver position against the Dolphins.

The game is scheduled for Sunday. The Patriots will travel to Miami for the contest. The roster moves were finalized on Saturday to prepare for the upcoming schedule.