New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman will open the 2018 season with a four-game suspension, but how detrimental will his absence be?
After missing the entirety of the 2017 season, Julian Edelman was eyeing a big return to the New England Patriots this year. The 32-year old has long been a favorite of Tom Brady when on the field, and figured to be a welcomed “new” addition to the offense after two-straight Super Bowl appearances for New England.
Of course, the return of Edelman has now been delayed somewhat. The wide receiver, per NFL.com, has been suspended for the first four games of the 2018 season for a violation of the league’s PED policy. For those keeping score at home, that means Edelman will be unavailable for the season-opening tilts against the Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins.
Considering that the Patriots made the Super Bowl last season with Edelman sidelined due to injury, the prevailing thought seems to be that his four-game absence won’t be that big of a deal. However, it’s worth noting that this team’s receiving corps heading into 2018 is much different, most notably at the top of the depth chart.
Following an offseason trade with the Los Angeles Rams, gone is Brandin Cooks, who was the big-play threat for Brady and the Patriots last season. So too is Danny Amendola, who signed with the aforementioned Dolphins in free agency.
That’s not to say that the Patriots didn’t work to replace those guys, adding the likes of Jordan Matthews and Cordarrelle Patterson, while Malcolm Mitchell and Chris Hogan enter the season healthy. But while this group may be deeper and healthier than they were a year ago, not having Edelman is still going to be felt a great deal.
One of the narratives that we often hear out of New England is how important trust is between Brady and his receivers. That’s why Edelman has been so productive. In addition to his talent of course, Brady trusts him to know the offense and to make the play. There are guys still playing that have some trust, but not nearly to the degree that exists between Brady and Edelman.
Of course, Rob Gronkowski, if healthy (and not traded) can alleviate a lot of these woes. What’s more, it is only a four-game suspension. However, in a talented AFC, it’s never too early to start thinking about the playoffs and a poor start in those first four games could hurt the Patriots when it comes time to seed the postseason.
Next: NFL 2018: Rookie class bold predictions
So, while there is a chance that the loss of Edelman for those games isn’t felt greatly, it appears much more up in the air than the picture often being painted. This offense could sputter a bit without him there as the safety valve given all the other changes. And with a defense that could take a step back, we might not see a great start from New England in 2018.