Julian Edelman’s health is in question ahead of the New England Patriots’ matchup against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16. The receiver has moved gingerly at practice, which is a bad sign for Edelman after he struggled to make an impact in Week 15 with just two catches for nine yards.
Against the Cincinnati Bengals, the worst team in the NFL, the Patriots could get by without a productive Edelman. But against the Bills (10-4), quarterback Tom Brady indicated how important Edelman will be in Week 16.
“When he gets going, it’s good for all of us. Got to find ways to get him the ball. He’s been doing a good job for us all year. He’ll need to do it this week,” Brady said during a press conference on Thursday at Gillette Stadium. “He’s a pretty tough guy. He wants to be out there competing and playing. I think everyone has a lot of respect for him for that. … Good to have him out there.”
Edelman wouldn’t address his physical issues during a meeting with the media on Thursday. “I’m not answering questions about medical staff,” he said. He has been at every Patriots practice this week, but has been limited with shoulder and knee injuries. He suffered the knee issue in Week 14, and it’s clearly nagging him into this week’s sessions. And while the Patriots might be interested in resting him, they probably can’t afford to do so. The other receivers on the roster haven’t been able to produce, with N’Keal Harry and Mohamed Sanu proving inconsistent. New England needs a win over Buffalo to take the AFC East title on Saturday, which probably means that if Edelman can play, he will play. Brady impressed to the media the scale of this game.
“It’s important. I think everybody puts a lot into it and it’s for moments like this,” Brady said. “So you work out all season — you train to be a part of these games. And this is a big game against a very good team. This is what it’s all about. This is why we’re here — to play big games like this.”
