What happened: New England is placing Brown on injured reserve, per Adam Schefter, which would require him to miss at least four games. [Schefter's update](https://www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/1wdlk9g/schefter_sources_patriots_are_placing_wide/)

Why it matters: The Patriots will need to redistribute Brown's receiving workload during his absence. The outlook extends beyond Mike Vrabel's earlier uncertainty about Brown playing the next game.

What to watch: New England has no practice scheduled Friday. Watch how the receiving rotation changes when preparations resume.