The New England Patriots are in deep trouble with wide receiver Julian Edelman. The veteran has been a key contributor over three Super Bowl titles and has been with the club throughout his NFL career, which began in 2009. However, knee injuries have dramatically thrown a wrench into it. Edelman’s impact with offense and the ability to hit the pitch. past seasons, including 2020 where he was limited to just six games before going down for the year. The future 35-year-old is considering trying to give the 2021 season a try, but the knee could once again lift its ugly head.
According to Karen Guregian of the Boston herald, it is doubtful that Edelman will be able to play the entire 2021 season because of the knee. She adds that if the surgery provides temporary relief, nothing will really solve the underlying problem. Edelman underwent knee surgery in October to alleviate the problems, but was never able to return to the field, despite a brief return to training. Guregian explained that the knee could force Edelman to be available one game, but be gone the next in 2021.
This puts the Patriots in a tough spot. Do they give someone a spot on the list where it’s basically a toss whether or not they get to play? Plus, do they want someone like that to be around $ 6.1 million against the cap next season? If New England chooses to swap or release Edelman, who has one more year to go, they would be able to clear around $ 3.5 million in ceiling space while on the hook. for about $ 2.6 million.
The club have brought in receivers Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne in free agency and the two are seen as virtual lockdowns for the coming season and 2019 first round pick N’Keal Harry is currently still in the fold, as is Jakobi. Meyers and Gunner. Olszewski. It also doesn’t mention the possibility of the Patriots bringing another young face via the 2021 draft. Could Edelman serve as a mentor for this group? Absolutely. However, Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels will need to think long and hard about whether or not Edelman’s strong presence to help shape this unit is worth a place on the 53-player roster.
It is not an easy decision. Edelman is not only one of the faces of the franchise, but a valuable part of the current fabric of the organization as it enters a critical season in 2021. If he’s able to play through that injury – like we’ve seen it do this in the past – it’s definitely worth keeping. Whether or not this is a realistic thought, however, seems to be very doubtful.
