Julian Edelman

Julian Edelman is in a walking boot after reinjuring his right foot, according to The Boston Globe. The 26-year-old wide receiver, who ended last season on injured reserve because of a right foot injury, reportedly will miss on-field organized team activities later this spring. According to the Globe, one source said there is an outside chance he will be able to participate in minicamp June 11-13, but it would be on a limited basis.

The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder, who was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2009, has spent the last four seasons with New England and has 69 catches for 714 yards and four touchdowns as a pro. Edelman was a free agent this offseason but agreed to a one-year deal with the Patriots last month. He’s the only receiver currently on the roster who caught a pass from quarterback Tom Brady last season.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Donald Jones

For the third time this offseason, the Patriots wide receiving corps has undergone a redo — New England picked up four wide receivers on draft weekend, adding rookies Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce in the second and fourth round, as well as undrafted free agents T.J. Moe and Kenbrell Thompkins. They join a group that includes newcomers Danny Amendola, Mike Jenkins and Donald Jones.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick acknowledged in an interview with the NFL Network on Saturday the team has undergone a “redo” at the position this offseason, and he expanded on that once the draft was done Saturday night.

“Look at the guys who have caught balls at that position, and we don’t have a lot of them on our team,” he said. “[Julian] Edelman and then a couple of balls here and there, so we’ll see how it all comes together. I don’t know.

“We’ve gone through that with other positions on our team. We did that with the tight end position a couple of years ago. We did it at the running back position when that turned over. Certainly, almost the entire defense has turned over, other than Vince [Wilfork]. The specialists all turned over; other than Steve [Gostkowski], they all turned over a couple of years ago. It’s part of football.”

With that in mind — for the third time this offseason — here’s another reset of the Patriots depth chart at wide receiver.

RETURNING

Julian Edelman: While everyone else is starting from zero with the quarterback, Edelman certainly will have an opportunity to gain reps this spring and summer, because right now he’ll be the only guy coming back who caught a pass from Tom Brady last season. The 5-foot-10, 200-pounder, who was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2009, has spent the last four seasons with New England and has 69 catches for 714 yards and four touchdowns as a pro. He was off to a strong start last season, but a late September injury seemed to knock him off track. He’ll figure into the mix in the return game, and at least at this point he likely figures as a backup to Amendola.

NEW VETERANS

Danny Amendola: The most notable addition of the offseason, Amendola does have some positional versatility, but right now, he projects as No. 1 option in the slot. The 27-year-old had a career-high 85 catches for St. Louis in 2010, and while he won’t be the only one asked to pick up the slack from the loss of Wes Welker, he’ll handle the bulk of the responsibility. It’s obviously very early in the process, but the 5-foot-11, 188-pounder is off to a good start when it comes to his relationship with the quarterback — the two were spotted working out together at USC earlier this spring.

Donald Jones: Jones — who has already proven to be a pretty good tweeter — is a 6-foot, 208-pounder who has spent three seasons in the league, all with the Bills, and has 82 career receptions. His best year came in 2012 when he caught 41 passes for 443 yards and four touchdowns. He has some positional versatility, but right now he likely figures into the mix as a possible No. 3 receiver, although that could change with the development of rookies Dobson and Boyce.

Mike Jenkins: Patriots fans reacted a little angrily to the addition of the 30-year-old Jenkins, but the 6-foot-4, 214-pounder has been able to put up fair numbers over the course of his career. Jenkins, who has had knee issues the last few years, caught 40 passes for 449 yards and two touchdowns last season with the Vikings. This looks like the Patriots taking a chance on a veteran and seeing what he has left. We should know early on how much Jenkins has left — if there’s anything there, he could be an option as a No. 3 receiver.

ROOKIES

Aaron Dobson: The 6-foot-3, 210-pound Dobson (along with P.K. Sam, the tallest receiver Belichick has ever drafted) should get every opportunity to make an impact on the New England passing game right out of the gate as a possible ‘X’ receiver. The second-round pick, who compares favorably to Anquan Boldin in his size, skill set and overall approach to the game, had 165 catches for 2,398 yards and 24 touchdowns over the course of his career at Marshall. He projects as an outside-the-numbers threat in the NFL.

Josh Boyce: While Dobson is known for his physical gifts, this fourth-round pick made his mark as a collegian in large part because he’s a physical freak who made a huge splash at the combine. The 5-foot-11, 203-pound Boyce had 161 catches for 2,535 yards and 22 touchdowns in his three seasons as a collegian. He does have some positional versatility, and while his agility and footwork (he showed tremendous amounts of both by acing the 3-cone and shuttle events at the combine) suggests he can thrive in the slot, he also has the straight-line speed to survive on the outside.
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Several members of the Patriots took to Twitter Monday afternoon in the wake of the deadly Boston Marathon bombing to express their condolences and offer support and prayers.

Wow can’t believe what just happened at the Boston Marathon. Praying for everyone down there.

— Rob Gronkowski (@RobGronkowski) April 15, 2013

Ain’t much left to do but pray.

— Stevan Ridley (@StevanRidley) April 15, 2013

Praying for everyone in Boston right now.

— Danny aiken (@Danny_Aiken) April 15, 2013

Prayers go out to everyone that has been affected by this awful event.

— Julian Edelman (@Edelman11) April 15, 2013

Saddened by what happened today in Boston. Thoughts and prayers go out to all affected.

— Dan Connolly(@63Connolly) April 15, 2013

Julian Edelman

After a busy morning that included the extension of an offer sheet to Emmanuel Sanders and the apparent agreement on a one-year deal between the Patriots and Julian Edelman, it’s time once again to reset the depth chart at wide receiver for New England.

As was the case when we did this last month, it’s important to remember that there is still time in the team-building process (between the end of free agency and the draft), so things can change between now and the start of the 2013 season. But as it stands right now, here’s a thumbnail look at each one of the receivers who are currently on the roster, as well as some possible additions for New England at the position between now and the start of the season.

Julian Edelman: Right now, Edelman is the only receiver on the roster who caught a pass from Tom Brady in 2012. The former college quarterback, who was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2009, has spent the last four seasons with New England, and has 69 catches for 714 yards and four touchdowns as a pro. It will be interesting to see what sort of role he has in the 2013 passing game — he had a terrific offseason last year, and as a result, got off to an impressive start (10 catches in first two-plus games) before a late September injury. Right now, he likely figures as a backup to Amendola, but if he stays healthy, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder should have an important role in the offense and on special teams.

Donald Jones: Right now, Jones figures to be in the mix for the No. 3 receiver spot, but as always, that situation remains fluid based on other possible free-agent additions as well as what the Patriots might do in the draft. The 6-foot, 208-pound Jones is a Youngstown State product who spent three seasons in the league, all with the Bills, and has 82 career receptions. His best year came in 2012 when he caught 41 passes for 443 yards and four touchdowns. Jones has some experience in the slot, as well as outside.

Danny Amendola: The big offseason addition at receiver, Amendola will likely be the closest thing the Patriots have to a traditional wide receiver in 2013. Amendola has worked in the slot and outside, and will likely be asked to do both in the New England offense. The 27-year-old, who had a career-high 85 catches for St. Louis in 2010, has followed an eerily similar career arc as Welker, who blossomed when he first arrived in New England in 2007. The Patriots hope that the 5-foot-11, 188-pounder can continue on the same path that saw Welker — who was a little-used part of the Miami offense before he arrived in Foxboro — catch 100 passes in five of his six seasons with the Patriots.

Mike Jenkins: The addition of Jenkins looks to be a case of the Patriots kicking the tires on a veteran to see if he has anything left in the tank. The 30-year-old, who has had knee issues the last few years, caught 40 passes for 449 yards and two touchdowns last season with the Vikings. He’s a 6-foot-4, 214-pounder out of Ohio State who has been in the league for nine seasons — seven with the Falcons and the last two with Minnesota. His best seasons came in 2007 and 2008, when he caught a combined 103 passes for 1,309 yards and seven touchdowns. If he does stick, it will be for depth purposes.

Not currently on the roster, but possible additions.

Emmanuel Sanders: While Sanders isn’t technically a Patriot just yet, we will include him here for purposes of this exercise. Like Amendola (and, to a lesser extent, Jones and Edelman), Sanders does have some position experience in that he’s played both in the slot and outside. The 26-year-old, a third-round pick out of SMU in 2010 by the Steelers, caught 44 passes for 626 yards and one touchdown in 2012, starting seven games. In his three-year career, Sanders has 94 receptions for 1,290 yards and five touchdowns. For more on Sanders and his potential impact here in New England, click here.

Brandon Lloyd: With each passing day — and with each subsequent addition the team makes to its receiving corps — the chances of Lloyd’s return seem to grow faint. He was released last month, just prior to the date the team was contractually obligated to deliver a $3 million roster bonus. In his one season with the Patriots, Lloyd had 74 catches for 911 yards and four touchdowns. While he had some terrific moments — including eight catches against Arizona, nine against Baltimore and 10 against the Niners — he was underwhelming at times.

Deion Branch: Branch, who will be 34 before the start of the 2013 season, has to be considered a long shot to return, but it still wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 5-foot-9, 195-pounder back on an emergency basis if needed. He ended the 2012 season with 16 catches for 145 yards in 10 games for New England.

(In addition, the Patriots depth chart also includes Kamar Aiken, Jeremy Ebert and Andre Holmes. Ebert was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots last season who spent some time on the practice squad, while Aiken ended the season on the practice squad and Holmes was added to the roster in January after spending part of the 2012 season with the Cowboys. And while Matthew Slater is technically listed as a wide receiver, he’s more of a special teamer.)

The Patriots will sign Julian Edelman to a one-year contract on Wednesday, according to Mike Garafolo of USA Today. The receiver, who was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2009, has spent the last four seasons with New England. The former collegiate quarterback, who caught 37 passes as a rookie, has 69 catches for 714 yards and four touchdowns over his career with the Patriots. In addition, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder has shown special teams value, having returned three punts for touchdowns in four seasons.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Free agent Julian Edelman is visiting with the Giants this week, according to Mike Garofalo of USA Today. Edelman, a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2009, has spent the last four seasons with New England. The former collegiate quarterback, who caught 37 passes as a rookie, has 69 catches for 714 yards and four touchdowns over his career with the Patriots. In addition, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder has shown special teams value, having returned three punts for touchdowns in four seasons.

For more Patriots news, check out weei.com/patriots.

Donald Jones

For the Patriots, the personnel changes at wide receiver this offseason are nothing new. Since he assumed the starting job in 2001, Tom Brady has gone through several different groups of receivers, and as the Patriots’ passing game continues to evolve, the 2013 incarnation will be the fifth different group that Brady will work with.

While other ancillary wide receivers came and went — and with the understanding that the Patriots have bolstered the depth at the tight end position as the depth at receiver has diminished — here’s the overall nucleus of the wide receiver position since Brady assumed the starting job in 2001.

2001-2004: Troy Brown, David Patten, David Givens, Deion Branch.
2005-2006: Branch, Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney.
2007-2009: Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Donte’ Stallworth.
2010-2012: Wes Welker, Branch, Brandon Lloyd.

With the understanding that there’s still a lot of time in the team-building process between now and the start of training camp (between the end of free agency and the draft) here’s a look at depth chart at receiver for the Patriots, as well as some possibilities for New England at the receiver position between now and the start of the season.

Donald Jones: The 6-foot, 208-pound Jones is a Youngstown State product who spent three seasons in the league, all with the Bills, and has 82 career receptions. His best year came in 2012 when the 25-year-old caught 41 passes for 443 yards and four touchdowns.

Danny Amendola: The 27-year-old, who had a career-high 85 catches for St. Louis in 2010, has followed an eerily similar career arc as Welker, who blossomed when he first arrived in New England in 2007. The Patriots hope that the 5-foot-11, 188-pounder can continue on the same path that saw Welker — who was a little-used part of the Miami offense before he arrived in Foxboro — catch 100 passes in five of his six seasons with the Patriots.

(In addition, the Patriots depth chart also includes Kamar Aiken, Jeremy Ebert and Andre Holmes. Ebert was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots last season who spent some time on the practice squad, while Aiken ended the season on the practice squad and Holmes was added to the roster in January after spending part of the 2012 season with the Cowboys. And while Matthew Slater is technically listed as a wide receiver, he’s more of a special teamer.)

There remains a handful of free-agent possibilities for the Patriots, including four guys who have suited up for New England in the past and could be called upon once again:

Julian Edelman: A seventh-round pick out of Kent State in 2009, Edelman has shown flashes over his first four seasons in a New England uniform, including 37 catches as a rookie, and 21 receptions at the start of the 2012 season when he saw an uptick in playing time, mostly at the expense of Welker. Presuming he does return, the 5-foot-10, 200-pounder could pick up some of the targets that went to Welker over the last few seasons.

Brandon Lloyd: Lloyd was released earlier this month before the team was set to deliver a $3 million roster bonus. In his one season with the Patriots, Lloyd had 74 catches for 911 yards and four touchdowns. While he had some terrific moments — including eight catches against Arizona, nine against Baltimore and 10 against the Niners — he was underwhelming at times. However, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him ultimately return.

Deion Branch: Branch was able to give the Patriots some snaps last season, but was mostly around to help provide some depth at the position. He ended the season with 16 catches for 145 yards in 10 games for New England. Branch, who will be 34 before the start of the 2013 season, has to be considered a longshot to return, but it still wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 5-foot-9, 195-pounder back on an emergency basis if he was needed.

Donte’ Stallworth: Stallworth, who has had two different stints with the Patriots (including last year, which consisted of one catch, which ended up going 63 yards for a touchdown against the Texans before he went on season-ending IR), was involved in a hot-air balloon accident earlier this month in Florida. While he has spent some time in the hospital, if the 32-year-old is still able to play come the summer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if New England at least kicked the tires on Stallworth to see if he still had anything left in the tank.

And when it comes to free agent possibilities, it’s fair to include restricted free agent Emmanuel Sanders, who would cost the Patriots a third-round pick but still interests the New England brain trust for all the reasons we listed here. The 26-year-old Sanders, a third-round pick out of SMU in 2010 by the Steelers, caught 44 passes for 626 yards and one touchdown in 2012, starting seven games. In his three-year career, Sanders has 94 receptions for 1,290 yards and five touchdowns.