New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown has officially been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel shared the news to media members on Friday.

Brown has missed the last five practices with the team due to both an ankle and a knee injury. He was initially playing through the ankle injury, which he suffered in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. However, the knee is believed to be the main contributing factor behind him being sidelined.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it's a flare-up from a previous injury, and it has led to concerns about Brown's long-term future in New England.

“It flared up. ...I know it says ankle and knee, but it’s the knee," Schefter said on ESPN's Get Up. "The knee held him out last week, and the knee is threatening to hold him out this week. It’s a knee that I think raises some concerns as to how long he’s gonna keep playing here in New England, and producing at a high level.”

The Patriots haven't placed Brown back on injured reserve, which means there must be hope that he will be able to return sooner rather than later.

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