We heard yesterday that the Patriots will welcome three key players in 2021, but the prospect of another veteran remains uncertain. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported (via Twitter) that veteran width Julian Edelman will continue to recover and recover from a knee injury that shortened his 2020 campaign.
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Rapoport notes that Edelman still wants to play next season, but the biggest concern is whether his knee will be able to withstand the trouble 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 he has overcome his knee injury, he will likely be on the field.
The 34-year-old has appeared in New England’s first six games of the 2020 season. Thank you (in part) for seeing targets of such people Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham, en Brian Hoyer instead of Tom Brady, Edelman struggled to compile steady numbers. Apart from a performance of eight catches and 179 yards in Week 2, the extension was limited to only 13 receptions for 136 yards and no score in his other five games.
Of course, the former Super Bowl MVP was only one season removed from a 1,000-yard campaign, so it may be too early to write off Edelman. The veteran is also the only reliable reception option currently offered in New England; former first player N’Keal Harry has struggled through its first two NFL seasons, and the team is otherwise looking at former unknown free agents Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski for the top of the depth chart. If Edelman is healthy enough to play next season, we need to give a statistical setback.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.