FOXBORO — After a Wednesday practice where the New England Patriots had all players on the active roster present for the first time this season, Thursday brought a noticeable change.

Wide receiver A.J. Brown and running back TreVeyon Henderson were not seen during the media-access portion of practice.

Both players were active Wednesday, with Brown a limited participant and Henderson not mentioned on the injury report.

For Brown, this downgrade comes a day after reports surfaced that, alongside his previous ankle injury, he is also dealing with a knee injury.

No sign of WR A.J. Brown at practice. https://t.co/iho2uHG7tY

— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 29, 2026

Navigating Brown's Injury History

Brown missed time last season with a knee injury that may have stemmed from a reported degenerative knee condition.

New England Executive Vice President of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf acknowledged the condition after the Patriots traded a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to acquire Brown in June.

"It's a factor, but we examined him," Wolf told Yahoo Sports at the time. "He's got a knee that has some wear and tear that we were aware of. Our training staff and medical staff signed off on it."

Managing Brown's health has been an ongoing campaign for New England. The star wide receiver suffered a high ankle sprain in the Patriots' season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, resulting in a four-week stint on injured reserve.

"Look, he's played eight quarters in almost two months and had four practices," offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. "They tell us he can do A, B, and C; we’ll do A, B, and C. And if there’s some element of things we need to wait on, then we’ll do it, so love his attitude and his approach. He’s been here working his tail off to try to put himself in a great position to help our team, and I know he’s going to do that."

Brown's absence from Thursday's practice raises concerns surrounding his availability for the Patriots' Week 8 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

The Patriots have already lost wide receivers Romeo Doubs (shoulder) and Mack Hollins (calf) to IR. If Brown were to miss time, the active roster would be left with just DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III.

If that's the case, the Patriots may need to consider elevating someone from the practice squad.

Kyle Dixon, the 6-foot-2, 220 lb. rookie undrafted free agent from Culver-Stockton College, could be an enticing option given his physical profile.

Other WR options include Cameron Dorner, Chandler Brayboy, and Ryan Miller.

Another Hurdle for Henderson

For Henderson, this latest injury is another unfortunate setback in what has been an underwhelming sophomore campaign.

He's coming off a performance against the Chicago Bears in which he rushed just three times for nine yards and caught two passes for 14 yards.

After suffering an ankle injury late in training camp that kept him out of the season opener, Henderson injured his ankle again against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 5.

The injury was initially reported as a high ankle sprain, which typically requires four to six weeks of recovery. However, Henderson continued to play in the weeks that followed.

Henderson was reportedly seen in the locker room but didn't dress for practice or take any questions from reporters.

If Henderson misses time, the Patriots would likely consider elevating Lan Larison from the practice squad.