Walking without limp

Brown (ankle) was seen in the locker room Wednesday without a noticeable limp, Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald reports.

When Brown came out of Week 1 with a right high-ankle sprain, he was expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks, but his placement on IR before Week 2 action means he's eligible to return to practice as soon as next week. That doesn't mean he actually will be, but being able to move about sans limp generally is a good sign in his recovery and could mean practice reps are on the horizon for the Patriots' No. 1 wide receiver.