The Patriots are expected to place Brown (ankle) on injured reserve Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
The Patriots needed less than 48 hours to decide that Brown will be out for at least four games. The earliest he could return from IR would be Week 6, but the Patriots' decision to deactivate Brown suggests he may not be ready by then. Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas took most of the snaps at receiver after Brown suffered a right high-ankle sprain in the third quarter of Wednesday's loss at Seattle.