The Patriots’ off-season makeover continued on Monday.
The power of AFC East ended the contract of veteran receiver Julian Edelman with a failed physical designation, NFL Network first reported.
Edelman missed the last 10 games of the 2020 season while recovering from knee surgery and the Boston Herald reported last week that there were doubts in Foxborough that the 34-year-old could play the entire 2021 season.
ESPN.com reported that Edelman has considered retirement and this transaction could be the first official step on the way out of the sport.
Coach and de facto general manager Bill Belichick spent the offseason rebuilding an offense that struggled during a 7-9 campaign last season, his first in 20 years without Tom Brady as quarterback.
The team added receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne, along with tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, to give more guns to quarterback Cam Newton.
Edelman is good friends with Brady and desperately tried to convince him to stay in New England for the final season. If Edelman chooses to continue, there will be speculation that he could sign with the Buccaneers.
Edelman had 620 catches for 6,820 yards and 36 touchdowns in his 12-year career with the Patriots.