Brown’s recurring knee issue flared up during practice last week. He was downgraded to a DNP on Thursday and Friday. The Pats then ruled him out over the weekend. Brown has been dealing with this injury for years, and it was something the Pats acknowledged when they traded for him in the offseason. It wouldn’t be surprising for the team to give him multiple weeks off in preparation for a playoff run. Head coach Mike Vrabel sidestepped a question about putting Brown back on injured reserve. At a minimum, we’re not expecting Brown to suit up this week.