New England Patriots No. 1 wide receiver Julian Edelman went down with a foot injury on the final play of the first quarter Sunday during the Pats' win over the New York Giants. According to multiple reports, Edelman's injury might put his season in jeopardy, as he broke a bone in his foot.
Edelman's injury is just the latest in a long line of them for the Patriots offense. The Pats have been without left tackle Nate Solder since mid-October because of a torn biceps. Pass-catching running back Dion Lewis was lost for the season with a torn ACL last week. Right tackle Sebastian Vollmer missed Sunday's game with a concussion. Guard Tre Jackson and tackle Marcus Cannon have missed time with knee and toe injuries, respectively. Center Bryan Stork was out for the early part of the season with a concussion.
If Edelman's injury is indeed a Jones fracture, it should be expected to keep him out for multiple weeks. Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant suffered a Jones fracture in Week 1 and sat out Dallas' next five games following surgery. Julio Jones had a Jones fracture a few years ago and sat out even longer. Generally, Jones fractures keep players on the sideline for a minimum of four to six weeks, and they can lead to recurring foot problems if players come back too early.
In Edelman's absence, the Patriots will likely have to rely even more on Rob Gronkowski, Brandon LaFell and Danny Amendola. That was likely going to be the case already with Lewis out, but those three players will have to pick up even more slack if Brady is down his No. 1 wide receiver. Luckily (in relative terms) for the Pats, they essentially have the AFC East wrapped up at 9-0 and can afford to let Edelman's injury fully heal, hopefully bringing him back in time for a playoff run.