Patriots bracing for the possibility that Mac Jones has to miss time

The initial reporting on Mac Jones' ankle injury was promising, an indication that he at least avoided a season-ending situation. But it's starting to sound like the Patriots' second-year quarterback will still have to miss time.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported Sunday night that the Patriots fear Jones suffered a high-ankle sprain during a loss to the Baltimore Ravens, and that he will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine the severity of the injury. Ominously, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network also reported the high-ankle sprain and added: "That means he’ll miss time and potentially head to IR".

High-ankle sprains are more severe than low-ankle sprains. They affect the ligaments connecting the tibia and fibula to the foot, resulting in more pain and a longer recovery time than the more common low-ankle sprain. The typical recovery time is 6-8 weeks, and even if a quarterback tries to play through it, his mobility would be significantly limited for several weeks.

Toucher & Rich | Mike Reiss' Patriots-Ravens Takeaways

(Click here to subscribe to Toucher and Rich.)

The likelihood is, if Jones indeed has a high-ankle sprain, he'll be out for Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers at a minimum. Brian Hoyer is the expected starter at quarterback if Jones is out, with rookie Bailey Zappe backing Hoyer up.

Patriots fans may remember the high-ankle sprain as the injury that made Rob Gronkowski look like a shell of himself in Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants. And that was two weeks after he'd suffered the injury.

It would be admirable if Jones returned from his ankle injury earlier than expected, and played through the pain and limitations. But the reality is, if this is what he's dealing with, he won't be back at 100 percent for a while.

For now, we wait to get the next update on Jones. If he does indeed go on injured reserve, he'd have to miss a minimum of four weeks.

We'll continue to keep you updated on Mac Jones' ankle injury and more on the New England Patriots here at 985TheSportsHub.com.

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. You can also email him at mdolloff@985thesportshub.com.