Adam Schefter is reporting that Patriots WR Julian Edelman is facing a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substances policy. According to Schefter, Edelman is currently appealing the four-game ban.
Edelman is working his way back from a season-ending ACL tear he suffered last summer.
Losing Edelman for the first four games of the season could put the Patriots in a tough position, given that they no longer have Danny Amendola.
The Patriots top receivers beyond Edelman include Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Jordan Matthews, Kenny Britt, Cordarrelle Patterson and Malcolm Mitchell.
Edelman, 32, is a former seventh-round pick of the Patriots back in 2009. He was in the final year of his four-year, $17 million contract when the Patriots signed him to a two-year extension worth $11 million and included $9 million guaranteed last year.
Edelman stands to make base salaries of $2 million over the next two years of the agreement.
In 2016, Edelman appeared in all 16 games for the Patriots and caught 98 passes for 1,106 yards receiving and three touchdowns. He also added 57 rushing yards, 44 kick return yards and 135 punt return yards for New England. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 21 receiver out of 115 qualifying players that season.
We’ll have more regarding Edelman as the news is available.
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