Edelman (foot) returns to Patriots practice

Gronkowski is second on the Patriots with 57 receptions, trailing only Julian Edelman, who has missed the last three-plus games with a broken foot. According to NESN.com, the Patriots might not hesitate to keep him out to the postseason, but a return to practice might mean that is not the case. However, New England might be getting back their biggest play maker in Week 14 as Rob Gronkowski made his reappearance on Thursday.

The media portion of practice was limited to just stretching so it’s not clear how much Edelman or Gronkowski were taking part in the actual practice. Clearly, having Gronkowski back would help New England deal with JJ Watt, former Patriots defensive lineman Vince Wilfork and the rest of the Texans defense on Sunday night.

The Patriots have lost two games in a row for the first time since 2012.

If either or both Edelman and Gronkowski can return to the field prior to the end of the regular season, it would be a huge boost for a team that still has legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. However, I think it is certainly fair to speculate that the Patriots are likely getting Edelman back on the field sooner than expected.

“Oh, there goes my foot”, Edelman said (possibly) joking.