New England Patriots Rumors: Why team should shutdown Julian Edelman

With Julian Edelman being forced to have a procedure on his knee, the New England Patriots should just shut him down for the rest of the season.

The New England Patriots continue to get great news. After a terrible defeat in Week 7, the team learned that they will be without Julian Edelman for a while.

Edelman had a procedure done on his knee and it appears he will miss some time. The good thing for Patriots fans is that Edelman shouldn’t be out the entire season. Even Bill Belichick said that he expects Edelman to be back this season.

More from Chowder and Champions

• 3 Patriots on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
• 3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox
• 10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster Deadline
• MLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return
• 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season

But should Edelman come back?

Edelman is having arguably the worst season of his career. In his last four games of the season, Edelman has eight catches for 79 yards.

In 2020 Edelman has been a non-factor. He has not lived up to expectations and has been one of the bigger disappointments of the season. Edelman has been a shell of himself.

So why should the Patriots even bring Edelman back?

New England should let Edelman rest and then become 100 percent healthy. This will allow him to be ready for a 2021 season where New England should be much more prepared.

The Patriots should hopefully have a regular offseason to instill an offense. No matter who is under center, expect the Patriots to improve in 2021.

New England needs to punt on the 2020 season. There is no way that this team is capable of winning a Super Bowl. At this point, I would be stunned if they even make the playoffs.

The Patriots need to plan for the short and long term future. This means acquiring assets and building through the draft. If Jarrett Stidham isn’t the guy, New England will need a relatively good draft pick in order to get their quarterback of the future.

There’s no point in risking further injury to Edelman in 2020. He hasn’t been involved in the passing game this season and it’s clear this knee injury took a toll on him.

New England should let him rest up and come back ready for what could be his last season as a Patriot. Edelman’s contract expires after the 2021 season and it would be stunning if the Patriots signed him to a new deal. They aren’t exactly known for signing aging receivers.

Edelman is now a grizzled veteran at the age of 34. If he wants to end his career with a bang, the smart thing to do is resting and rehabbing for the rest of 2020 and preparing for one last hurrah. He would also be doing the team a favor and allowing for younger players to gain valuable experience with increased playing time.

So the Patriots don’t need to rush Edelman back. The best thing for Edelman and the team would be to have him be in excellent shape for the 2021 season.