Edelman: See you in October
Receiver looks ahead to Week 5 return
FOXBORO — Julian Edelman pulled up a chair for what will likely be his final interview until October.
After yesterday’s practice, a two-hour session in sweltering 95-degree heat, Edelman simply needed to relax. Wearing a Kent State sweatshirt with the sleeves cut off — Bill Belichick style — Edelman sat at his locker, recapped his summer, and looked ahead to a September without football.
Edelman’s four-game suspension begins Saturday.
“Real football starts soon,” Edelman said. “It’s definitely been a reality check, but I’m not going to sit here and worry about things I can’t control. Ultimately, I put myself in this situation, so it’s more of let’s go and get myself ready for when I can play, (and) take the extra time to get my knee feeling great.”
The Patriots are set to play their final preseason game tomorrow night against the Giants. Normally, Edelman wouldn’t suit up for the finale, but given the circumstances — he’s trying to return to form following ACL surgery and is facing a four-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs — this year could be different.
“I’m going to do what the coaches ask me to do,” Edelman said. “I prepare every week like I’m playing, so we’ll go from there.”
If he doesn’t suit up against the Giants, yesterday’s scorcher of a practice will mark the final live action of Edelman’s summer. He noted that he “put a lot more value” into the past few practices, relishing the opportunity to “go out and do extra.”
“I won’t be there for the first four (games),” Edelman said. “I don’t want to go into this week saying, ‘I wish I would have done this or I wish I had done that.’ It’s been a hard week.”
Edelman declined to share his plans for the fourgame suspension. He won’t be allowed to practice or visit the Gillette Stadium facility until the beginning of Week 5, when the Pats host the Colts for a Thursday night showdown. It’s similar to what Tom Brady went through in 2016, but with one critical difference: Edelman is also rebounding from a season-ending knee injury. The suspension will afford him extra time to focus on his conditioning.
“(My knee) is definitely feeling better and better, that’s for sure,” Edelman said. “But you have days where you’re like, ‘This is tiring,’ but our training staff has been working hard. (I’m) just doing all the little stuff, little exercises to keep stuff strengthened. It’s been a grind.”
Players return from ACL tears with varying degrees of success. A select few recapture their previous athleticism the following season. For many, the return to top form takes two full seasons. As he continues to work his way back, Edelman said he has talked with “a bunch of different guys” who have torn ACLs to compare experiences.
“It’s comforting,” Edelman said. “But everyone’s different.”
Edelman didn’t miss any practices in training camp, a positive sign for his comeback. His role increased in each preseason game, and he looked close to his old self last week against Carolina. He turned a quick throw from Brady on a third-and-8 into a first down, eluding cornerback Captain Munnerlyn at the line of scrimmage and darting upfield past the marker. The play was vintage Edelman. On the following drive, he easily converted a third-and-2 with an in-breaking route over the middle.
He also committed an uncharacteristic drop on a third-and-3.
“There’s definitely been some good stuff and there’s definitely been a lot of stuff that I’ve taken notes on,” Edelman said.
Beginning Saturday, Edelman becomes a spectator.
“I’m excited for the guys who will get opportunities, and I’m excited for this 2018 season,” Edelman said. “A lot of guys have worked hard. A lot of guys have done some good things, and they’ve seen improvement. It’s been a competitive group in our room and in every room, all the rooms. The rookies, the guys that are from other teams. This is the beginning of the start of the 2018 mold.
“So, I’ll definitely be watching, and I’ll have my Patriots hat on and probably a soda and some popcorn.”