Julian Edelman will be inactive for Sunday’s game vs. Dolphins
This will be the eighth straight missed game for Edelman.
MIAMI — Julian Edelman will not return to action Sunday against the Dolphins as the Patriots receiver continues to ramp up his activity following a knee procedure, according to a league source.
The defense, however, will be bolstered by the return of Shilique Calhoun, who will be activated after a knee ailment forced a stint on injured reserve that cost him five games.
This will be the eighth straight missed game for Edelman, who was placed on IR Oct. 31 and returned to practice Wednesday, opening his 21-day window to be activated, and has been classified as “day to day” by coach Bill Belichick.
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The 12-year veteran’s return was a boost to the offense.
“Jules is a great leader, a lot of energy,’’ said left guard Joe Thuney. “So, he’s just a great guy to have back.’’
Though reporters were not allowed to observe practice this past week — COVID-19 protocols prevent it at indoor sessions — Edelman was spotted on film released by the club participating in drills, and he appeared free, easy, and comfortable.
Edelman has 21 receptions for 315 yards, including eight catches for a career-high 179 yards in the Week 2 loss at Seattle. It’s unclear when he tweaked the knee, but he didn’t catch more than three balls in a game after that performance. Edelman also simultaneously spent time on the reserve/COVID-19 list while on IR. Edelman is under contract for 2021 with a cap hit of approximately $6.6 million.
Even if he’s unable to return this season, Edelman’s presence and professionalism help set the tone in the receivers’ room and beyond. A point that was made clear by Jakobi Meyers.
“When I got here, it was definitely Jules, for sure,’’ Meyers said. “If that’s the best player on your team and you all want to be good players in the NFL, why not follow the standard that was set by the main guy? It was pretty easy for me to just try to see what him and [Matthew Slater] do, pretty much every day, and just try to incorporate it into my own NFL lifestyle.’’
Calhoun, who was used as a situational pass rusher last season, had seen his snaps expand this season and he’s collected 14 tackles, 2 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles in eight games.
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