Julian Edelman, who's in hot water after allegedly groping a woman under her Halloween costume early Tuesday morning, has seen his role reduced with the Patriots in recent weeks. On Sunday, Edelman was a healthy scratch against the Steelers. Edelman injured an ankle against the Raiders on October 2 and hasn't played since but he was at least on the injured list before games against the Jets and Cowboys.
The 25-year-old wide receiver has just three catches this season. He has nine kickoff returns and nine punt returns. The seventh-round pick out of Kent State in 2009 enjoyed his best season with the Patriots when he was a rookie. Last year, he caught just seven passes and was the team's primary punt returner. How will the team react to the allegations against Edelman? We'd need a fuller picture of what his reputation is within the team. Have there been complaints or incidents involving him that haven't come to public light in Edelman's three years here? Or does this seem something that would have been shockingly out of character. While Edelman has the right to presumed innocence on the formal charges, the Patriots may well employ a different standard in deciding what his future is with the team.