Jim Miller, Pat Kirwan: Patriots won’t sign replacement if Julian Edelman suspension stands

Barring a successful appeal, Julian Edelman is expected to miss the first four games of the NFL season due to a reported suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.

What will New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick do about filling his void at receiver during that stretch?

‘I don’t think New England will sign one player, even if it’s a four-game suspension for Julian Edelman’

As far as Jim Miller and Pat Kirwan are concerned, the answer is nothing.

“You’ve got Jeremy Maclin out there,” Miller said while analyzing the Edelman situation with Kirwan on Movin’ The Chains. “Michael Floyd’s out there on the market. He’s been in New England before. I don’t think New England will sign one player, even if it’s a four-game suspension for Julian Edelman.”

‘They get an injury or two in camp, that’ll change things’

“I don’t think so, either,” Kirwan said. “They get an injury or two in camp, that’ll change things. But based on just waiting out four weeks, I don’t think they will (sign another receiver).”

As Miller pointed out, the Patriots have enough pass-catchers at running back, alone, to help them through Edelman’s absence.

‘They stick (with) more 21 personnel and just say, ‘Hey, we’ll go empty with our two running backs”

“Think of James White, what they’ve done with him. Outside the numbers, he’s lined up; in the slot, he’s lined up,” Miller said. “Rex Burkhead is the same type of guy. So they stick (with) more 21 personnel and just say, ‘Hey, we’ll go empty with our two running backs.'”

Kirwan said it is not the Patriots’ way to do any “crying over spilled milk,” in the form of parting ways with Danny Amendola, who signed with the Miami Dolphins in free agency.

‘It helps out all those other receivers that may have gotten cut’

“They just move on,” Kirwan said. “And they’re going to look at it as, ‘We have enough time now to figure this out.'”

“Yeah, if anything, Chris Hogan is a guy who will emerge,” Miller added. “It helps out all those other receivers that may have gotten cut. Malcolm Mitchell is coming back from injury. You still have Phillip Dorsett. They signed Jordan Matthews. Matthew Slater’s still there and they traded for Cordarrelle Patterson. Plus, Kenny Britt is there as well and they drafted Braxton Berrios.”

Kirwan: “One of them just made the team.”