Lengthy earlier than the New England Patriots acquired large receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles by way of a transaction that turned official on Monday, experiences suggested that the Patriots and different groups had been involved about his historical past of knee problems.
Whereas talking with media members on Tuesday, Brown was requested concerning the state of his knee.
A.J. Brown insists he has “no harm” in his knee
“No harm. There’s nothing to fret about,” Brown responded, per Karen Guregian of MassLive. “I feel this entire little … you gotta perceive the place I got here from, so any dialog about something goes to return up.”
Most just lately, Brown missed a recreation throughout what turned his remaining season with the Eagles on account of a reported hamstring harm. That mentioned, alleged “medical concerns” concerning his knee reportedly resulted within the Los Angeles Rams electing to not match the asking worth that Eagles normal supervisor Howie Roseman positioned on Brown this offseason.
Ultimately, Brown cost the Patriots a 2028 first-round draft choose and a 2027 fifth-round choose.
“Possibly in 4 years I’ve missed one recreation from a shot to the knee,” Brown added throughout his feedback. “So, that’s nothing to fret about. I’m able to go.”
Mike Vrabel responds to issues about A.J. Brown’s well being
Brown’s supposed knee problems return to when he had present Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel as a head coach with the Tennessee Titans from 2019 via the 2021 season. Understandably, Vrabel was requested on Tuesday if having a historical past with Brown made the Patriots really feel extra comfy about finishing this transaction.
“There’s going to be a distinct plan for each single man,” Vrabel mentioned about probably having to “handle” Brown’s workload, per the Patriots’ website. “And once more, I feel that trying on the physique of labor and the supply that he is been capable of have, and whether or not we’ve got to handle him or anyone else. It is a lengthy season. There can be issues that we’ll must cope with, and we’ll strive to do this accordingly. However simply based mostly on his availability within the video games that he is been capable of play in and be there for his group, I feel that hopefully results in future availability.”
Clearly, nothing that Vrabel and Co. realized about Brown’s knee in the course of the group bodily spooked the Patriots earlier than the commerce was introduced to the world on Monday. Nonetheless, what was referred to throughout Tuesday’s information conferences as a “degenerative knee situation” will as soon as once more change into a speaking level if Brown misses even one recreation on account of his knee this coming season.
