Julian Edelman expected to return in Week 17
By John Buhler
Julian Edelman should return for Week 17 action.
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman’s rehabilitation from a broken bone in his foot is “going incredibly well.”
Rapoport said Sunday morning on NFL Networks’ GameDay First that, “The thought is that Edelman should be on the field for Week 17 for the Patriots, assuming there is anything to play for, which is big because 1) rehab is going well; 2) it will get him acclimated to be really ready to go when the postseason starts.”
The Patriots are 2-2 since Edelman suffered his injury and New England’s passing game has fallen back considerably without their star slot receiver in it. While New England may want to have the AFC Playoffs go through Foxboro by earning the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC, it is more important that the Patriots have Edelman at full strength come playoff time.
New England is 11-2 and sit only one game ahead of the Denver Broncos and the Cincinnati Bengals for home field advantage in the AFC. The Patriots have already lost to the Broncos this season and Denver would hold the tiebreaker should they end up with identical records.
The Patriots have a favorable final three games in 2015: Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, at Miami Dolphins. New England could very well go 2-1 in the final three games, as the Jets are fighting for a Wild Card berth at 9-5. Losses by the Broncos or Bengals may make the Patriots cautious about putting Edelman out on the gridiron in a Week 17 game against Miami if there is nothing to play for.
The news of Edelman’s promising rehab gives Patriots fans hope that their team can get back to the Super Bowl in 2016 and reclaim their place atop the NFL, getting the fifth Lombardi Trophy in the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady era in New England.