After the first game of the season, the New England Patriots are moving players around. There are also a couple of changes happening on the practice squad ahead of the next game, mostly returning faces and spaces being filled. There is also the question of who will fill A.J. Brown’s place while he is on medical leave with a sprained ankle. A question that didn’t have to go unanswered for long.
First is A.J. Brown’s position. Until he returns, DaQuan Jones will be on the field. A twelve-year NFL veteran who started as a Tennessee Titan and who Coach Mike Vrabel has been keeping an eye on since he worked for the Titans. Jones was even signed to a one-year contract after Brown’s injury. When asked about the decision in the most recent press conference, Coach Vrabel said the following.
“Well, we’ve had some experience with him in Tennessee. We got to see him most recently in Buffalo. I think he’s a veteran interior player that I think still has some good snaps ahead of him.”
There were concerns about a weaker defense during the press conference, with A.J. Brown’s absence. Vrabel answered that he was doing his best to put everyone in spots that work best for them. He also went on to say that positions were never really written in stone, saying that “sometimes he was the X, sometimes he was the F, the Z.” Essentially, Brown’s position is being covered by the team as a whole and not just Jones, since Vrabel is trying to find a good position for everyone involved.
When asked about A.J. Brown’s spirits during this period, Vrabel answered that he’s disappointed for Brown that he won’t be able to play, and the rest of the team is disappointed that he won’t be on the field, even suggesting that Brown is eager to get out of recovery and back in the game. Vrabel was later asked about Kyle Williams’ role, and the possibility of it expanding with Brown out. Vrabel sees opportunities for Williams to help with his speed and hands, but he’s also looking more broadly to make up for Brown’s absence.
For the practice squad, there were a couple of changes. Since Larison and Wishnowsky were moved to the active roster, there have been a few updates. Elliot Davison, who was signed by the Patriots in August, was briefly released from the practice squad but re-signed the next day. Shane Zylstra was also released, but at the time of writing, has not been re-signed, along with Haskins.
There are two new members of the practice squad to fill in the recently opened spaces left behind by Larison and Wishnowsky: Chandler Brayboy and Xavier Holmes. Holmes was on the New England practice squad as recently as August before being released. Brayboy was on the Jacksonville Jaguars practice squad last year as a rookie. So expect those two faces around the New England Patriots.
The next game the Patriots will be playing is against the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 20th. The coach and team are both looking at what went wrong against the Seahawks and are looking at what can be improved. Vrabel is already getting some ideas on what can be done. With Brown on the injured reserve, it will be interesting to see what moves are made next. There is also what Jones will bring to the field in the next game, which will be something to keep an eye out for. Until then, there’s time for the team to strategize and practice for Sunday.
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