Patriots Roster Moves: A.J. Brown Activated, Veteran RB Released

The New England Patriots made a flurry of moves ahead of their Week 6 game.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown stretches during a joint practice against the Philadelphia Eagles. | Contributed by Sophie Weller / Patriots Wire

Less than 24 hours until the New England Patriots play host to the rival New York Jets, they've made a slew of roster moves.

The team announced Saturday that they've activated wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) off of injured reserve, while also elevating safety Elliott Davison from the practice squad and releasing running back Hassan Haskins.

Here's a look at each of these moves, and what they mean heading into Week 6 tomorrow:

A.J. Brown Activated After Four-Game Absence

Sep 9, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; aNew England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) runs a route against Seattle Seahawks cornerback Josh Jobe (29) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The high-profile offseason acquisition for the Patriots, Brown caught three passes in the season opener before suffering a high-ankle sprain early in the third quarter. Brown, who the Patriots got from the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2028 first round pick and a 2027 fifth round pick, would later be placed on IR, ruling him out for the next four games.

Since then, the Patriots have gotten inspiring outings from the other receivers on the roster. But adding Brown back into the fold will help elevate a passing attack starting to get into a rhythm.

"I think you know what he can add. He's been a player in this league," quarterback Drake Maye said Wednesday. "It's not like we haven't seen him as a player in this league, and there aren't many like him that roam around in this league. So, I'll just try to do my part to give him some chances and keep on spreading the ball around for guys that are open. We've had a lot of guys step up. So, I'm looking forward to keeping that rolling and adding another piece whenever he feels like he's ready to get out there."

Brown comes into the game with a questionable designation after being limited all week in practice. With this move, the Patriots' 53-man roster is now filled. Offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, who returned to practice this week after suffering an ankle injury in the preseason, was not yet activated. The team has two more weeks to do so before his season ends.

Pair Of Practice Squad Transactions

Jul 30, 2026; Metairie, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints safety Elliott Davison (35) during training camp at Ochsner Sports Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along with the Brown move, the Patriots also made some moves with their practice squad. For the second-straight week, they'll elevating young safety Davison to the game day roster. Last week against the Raiders, Davison made a tackle on special teams early in the game and added some snaps in garbage time defensively.

They also released Haskins, who signed back with the Patriots this week. The former Tennessee Titans draft pick spent the preseason in New England, but was released after two weeks of the regular season. He signed back to the practice squad as TreVeyon Henderson worked through an ankle injury he suffered a week ago.

Henderson, who's going into the game with a questionable designation, hasn't been ruled out yet. Releasing Haskins could mean the team feels comfortable about where he is physically.

They'll have one open spot on the practice squad heading into a short Week 7.

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