FOXBORO -- If Julian Edelman is to miss the first four games of the regular season (his ban for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy is being appealed), the Patriots will be without one of Tom Brady's most dependable threats in the passing game.
Ideal? Of course not. Death blow? Not exactly.
They've dealt without Edelman before. Just last year, in fact, after he tore his ACL during a preseason game in Detroit. Brady still managed to put together an MVP season.
But that was back when the Patriots had another veteran receiver Brady trusted wholeheartedly in Danny Amendola to help make up for Edelman's absence. Amendola finished with 61 catches for 659 yards and was one of the reasons the Patriots made it back to the Super Bowl for the third time in four years.
Now Amendola's in Miami, and the fallback plan without Edelman is hazy. Let's delve into some potential options for Brady and Josh McDaniels should they have to figure out how to navigate the first month of the regular season without their top receiver.
HOGAN THE ANSWER?
There is no one-for-one sub in the Patriots offense for Edelman. His understanding of the offense and his connection with Brady are unique. His skill set -- as a receiver who can play both inside and out -- is one that this current group of Patriots receivers would have a difficult time replicating. But Chris Hogan is a player who checks some of the same boxes Edelman does. When he arrived in New England, he was considered an inside-out threat. He's high cut, and he doesn't have the same change-of-direction ability Edelman does, but Hogan has Brady's trust and an ability to play multiple different spots in the offense. He'd be a logical next-man-up option in Edelman's absence. If the Patriots try Hogan in some of the same spots they'd use Edelman, though, then the team will need to replace Hogan's usual role as the "X" on the outside. There could be a bit of a domino effect in this scenario where, because of Edelman's suspension, outside options like Kenny Britt or Phillip Dorsett actually end up getting more time. Britt seemed to be building some momentum during spring practices before suffering an injury early in minicamp. Dorsett, meanwhile, was productive in flashes last season and could find a more consistent role in 2018 with a full offseason in the program under his belt.
THE MATTHEWS PLAN
Of the veteran receivers beyond Hogan, it's newcomer Jordan Matthews who has the most experience in the slot. If the Patriots would rather keep Hogan on the outside, Matthews could end up factoring in as a player who helps replace some of the snaps that would've gone to Edelman. Matthews did very little last season in Buffalo, catching 25 of 34 targets, but he's looked healthy during spring practices, and if he understands the offense then Edelman's suspension could be his opening to meaningful reps. Drops like the one Matthews had on a Brady pass deep down the field during Thursday's minicamp practice won't help him, but he'll have plenty of opportunities to show what he can do during the remainder of the voluntary offseason program and training camp.
THE WILD CARDS
The Patriots could piece together Edelman's role with a variety of wideouts depending on the situation or the matchup. Might Belichick and McDaniels try replacing Edelman's snaps with some amalgamation of Dorsett or Malcolm Mitchell (on the outside), Cordarrelle Patterson (on jet sweeps and gadget plays) and Riley McCarron or Braxton Berrios (traditional slots)? Odds are there won't be spots on the active roster for all of those players. But if there's no one sub for Edelman, then a many-hands-makes-light-work approach could be best.
GOING HEAVY
OK, not "heavy" weight-wise. "Heavy" in terms of personnel. Without Edelman, the Patriots could opt to deploy more two-tight end or two-back sets to try to offset any production lost. Rob Gronkowski will obviously be key to the offense no matter what. But what if someone like second-year tight end Jacob Hollister, who has looked steady this spring, was to emerge as a receiving option who can take on some slot responsibilities? And don't forget about Patriots "pony" sets. It wasn't often that Rex Burkhead was healthy enough to team up with James White (or Dion Lewis) last season. But when Burkhead was a full go, he provided an interesting matchup weapon who could align in the backfield as well as in the slot (something he did in Cincinnati prior to his arrival to New England last offseason). White could do the same, as could first-round back Sony Michel. They're all still running backs by trade, so don't expect them to take on receiver duties full-time even with Edelman suspended. But if Edelman's out, it would come as little surprise to see one of those backs (or more) flex out every so often to try to manufacture advantageous one-on-one scenarios.
The punt-return game could also be impacted by an Edelman suspension. Last year, Cyrus Jones got a crack at returning punts before suffering a season-ending in the preseason. Then Amendola had to step up to the plate. And when it wasn't Amendola, Patrick Chung stepped up. Chung could be the next on the list with Edelman out (he's fielded punts in practice, as has Hogan). McCarron and Berrios have also returned punts this spring.
Bottom line, whether it's offensively or on special teams, Edelman's suspension -- if upheld -- provides more than its fair share of questions that need answering.
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