Photo by Tennesse Titans (CC BY 3.0), via Wikimedia Commons

Sources: Patriots WR Brown to go on IR, miss at least 4 games

J. Brown is being shifted to injured reserve and will miss a minimum of four contests following a high ankle sprain sustained in Wednesday's opening defeat against Seattle.

Imaging confirmed the diagnosis while showing no broken bones after cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett fell heavily on Brown's right ankle during a third-down attempt from Drake Maye. The setback rules Brown out of the home lid-lifter versus Pittsburgh, followed by away matchups with Jacksonville and Buffalo, and potentially upcoming home fixtures against Las Vegas and the Jets.

The star playmaker, who came over from Philadelphia in a June 1 deal for future first- and fifth-round selections, had established early chemistry with Maye and set up New England's opening score before exiting early in the third period.

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels acknowledged on radio station WEEI that no individual can substitute for Brown's caliber, stressing a collective response across the depth chart. Veteran receiver Mack Hollins absorbed the bulk of the vacant workload during the opener, while the offense expects an elevated contribution from high-priced free-agent addition Romeo Doubs, who went catchless after a costly miscue in his debut.