New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman suffered a non-contact knee injury in Preseason Week 3 that saw him carted off the sidelines.
By most accounts, the New England Patriots are the favorites to win Super Bowl LII. They are the defending champions, and they only got better this offseason. With additions like Brandin Cooks, Stephon Gilmore and Kony Ealy, a great team is now even more dangerous. If injuries don’t stop popping up, though, they might find themselves behind the 8-ball.
In practice recently, rookie edge rusher Derek Rivers went down with a torn ACL that will likely cost him all of the 2017 season. That’s a big blow there for a newcomer. However, an injury to a familiar face, Julian Edelman, in Week 3 of the preseason could prove even more costly.
Facing the Detroit Lions on Friday night, Edelman started off getting fed by Tom Brady. He made the first reception. The greatest quarterback of all time then targeted him again. When Edelman went to cut upfield, however, he seemed to come up lame. He grabbed the back of his knee.
After the play, Edelman then limped to the sidelines. After being quickly evaluated, he was then carted to the locker room from the side:
Julian Edelman limping off the field after a non contact injury on a cut pic.twitter.com/YnsNPzVNus
— social cancer (@SlopingGiraffe) August 25, 2017
We’re just reading body language here, but that doesn’t look like a guy who feels too hopeful about his health after what just happened.
The Patriots soon after updated the situation, saying that the wide receiver was questionable to return. In the preseason, that normally means his night ended with that knee injury, serious or not.
#Patriots injury update: Julian Edelman (knee) is questionable to return. #NEvsDET
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 25, 2017
While the Patriots receiving corps is bolstered with the addition of Cooks, losing Edelman would be a massive blow. He’s Brady’s favorite target still and remains a stalwart in the offense. Not having that would be a detriment to the New England offense.
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That said, it’s too early to assume much of anything about severity or anything of the sort. Hopefully it’s nothing, because injuries to anyone are always hard to stomach in this league. Regardless, we’ll keep you updated as to his condition.