We heard yesterday that the Patriots will be welcoming three key players in 2021, but the prospects of another veteran remain uncertain. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (via Twitter) that veteran wide Julian Edelman will continue to rehabilitate and recover from a knee injury that shortened its campaign in 2020.
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Rapoport notes that Edelman still wants to play next season, but the main concern is whether his knee can withstand the rigors of another NFL season. No decision has been made, but Edelman’s status in 2021 will be directly attributed to his health. If he feels like he’s overcome his knee injury, he’s probably on the field.
The 34-year-old played in the first six games of New England of the 2020 season, thanks in part to the fact that he saw targets from, among others, Cam Newton Jarrett Stidham, and Brian Hoyer instead of Tom Brady, Edelman struggled to get consistent numbers. Aside from an eight-catch, 179-yard appearance in Week 2, the wide-out was limited to just 13 receptions for 136 yards and no scores in his other five games.
Of course, the former Super Bowl MVP is just one season away from a 1,000-yard campaign, so it may be too early to write Edelman off. The veteran is also the only reliable receiving option currently on the New England roster; former first-rounder N’Keal Harry has struggled through his first two NFL seasons, and the team continues to look at former undeveloped free agents Jakobi Meyers and Shooter Olszewski for the top of the depth graph. If Edelman is healthy enough to play next season, we must achieve a statistical recovery.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.