Getty Julian Edelman
The New England Patriots‘ Julian Edelman had been trying to make it back to the team after midseason knee surgery, now he has another setback to navigate.
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Edelman Placed on the COVID-19 Reserve List
On Monday afternoon, ESPN’s Field Yates reported that the Patriots’ veteran wide receiver had been placed on the COVID-19 reserve list.
The Patriots have placed WR Julian Edelman on the Covid-19 list.
At this point, we don’t know if Edelman has tested positive, or if he has been in close contact with someone who has, and thus has to be in quarantine until he tests negative for multiple days, and is no longer considered to be high-risk.
Bill Belichick Had Just Spoken About the Prospects of Edelman’s Return
during head coach Bill Belichick’s weekly spot on WEEI’s OMF, he was asked about the prospects of Edelman’s return to the lineup. Edelman has been on injured reserve rehabbing his ailing knee. Belichick said:
I know he’s working extremely hard, and I would certainly never count Julian out of anything. He’s got tremendous will and a great work ethic, and (he’s) very competitive. Football is very important to him.
He had a “procedure” on his knee at the end of October, but he has been eligible to return from IR for the past two weeks. However, he has been unable to practice and thus has remained inactive. In retrospect, it’s probably a good thing Edelman was unable to practice. If he had been around the team the past week, there is a chance several other players might also have to head to the COVID-19 list based on being in close proximity with Edelman.
We’ll see who if anyone from the Patriots’ organization has been with Edelman, and if they too will need to be quarantined.
What Happens if Edelman is Cleared of the COVID-19 Restrictions?
If Edelman hasn’t tested positive, and he clears the necessary quarantine period with ever testing positive, he would be eligible to come off injured reserve and to rejoin the team. We don’t know how close he was to being back from the knee injury, so that’s obviously still a factor.
However, as it pertains to COVID-19, the aforementioned parameters is what he needs to clear to be back on the field. Edelman’s situation is just the latest in a league-wide issue as the NFL tries to navigate COVID-19 while still completing the 2020 season.
There are many who question if the NFL will be able to get through their schedule and postseason, especially when you consider more dire situations like the ones the Baltimore Ravens are currently facing, and what the Denver Broncos had to navigate this past weekend with no available quarterbacks.
This, of course, isn’t the Patriots’ first brush with the virus. Cam Newton, Stephon Gilmore, Sony Michel, and others have tested positive for the virus, and the team was dramatically impacted from Week 4 to Week 7. Here’s to hoping Edelman is healthy and that this doesn’t lead to a bigger problem for the organization.
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