What does history tell us when it comes to a realistic level of expectation for Julian Edelman in 2018?

Julian Edelman posted a quick Instagram update on Wednesday on his continued rehab from the knee injury he sustained last August, using one word — “determined” — to describe his state of mind at this point.

Edelman, who was around the team on a fairly regular basis this season despite the injury, has sounded a fairly positive note about where he’s at as he works back from the ghastly ACL tear. He said at Super Bowl LII his knee was “pretty healthy,” and told Barstool Radio he’s “trying to get better each day.'” All the reports are pointing toward him being as close to 100 percent as possible when it comes to 2018.

But what’s a realistic level of expectation for Edelman when he does return? With the understanding that all knee injuries — and rehab situations — are different, here are six receivers who suffered recent season-ending ACL tears similar to Edelman, and what they were able to do in the ensuing years since they went down with injury.


Jordy Nelson — The situation that holds the most similarities to Edelman, and the most encouraging framework for the Patriots’ slot receiver. Both Nelson and Edelman were vital to the success of a Super Bowl winner. Both had an extraordinary chemistry with their All-Pro quarterback. And both sustained their knee injuries in the preseason. A 30-year-old Nelson went down in the 2015 preseason. A 31-year-old Edelman went down in the 2017 preseason. While he wasn't cleared to practice until Aug. 17 and didn't play in any of the 2016 preseason, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Nelson played in all 16 regular-season games a year after the injury and caught 97 passes on a career-high 152 targets for 1,227 yards and a career-best 14 touchdowns.

Kelvin Benjamin — Another preseason knee injury. In the 2015 preseason with the Panthers, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Benjamin tore his ACL in a joint practice with Miami. After sitting out the ’15 season, he came back strong the following year — at the age of 25, he had 63 catches on 118 targets for 941 yards and seven touchdowns.

Jeremy Maclin — At the age of 25, he suffered an ACL tear prior to the 2013 season, and sat out all that year. The following season, he came back with the Eagles to have (to that point) the best season of his life with 85 catches for 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns. Since then, the 6-foot, 200-pounder out of Mizzou hasn’t missed a beat, averaging 57 catches a year the last three seasons with the Chiefs and Ravens.

Keenan Allen — In the opening week of the 2016 season, the Chargers wideout went down with an ACL tear and was sidelined for the rest of the year. The 6-foot-2, 206-pounder returned last season at the age of 25 and had a monster 2017 with 102 catches on 159 targets for 1,393 yards and six touchdowns.



Wes Welker — The 5-foot-9, 190-pound Welker ripped up his knee at the end of the 2009 regular season, but managed to make it back for the start of the 2010 campaign and finished his comeback year at the age of 29 with 86 catches on 123 targets for 848 yards and seven touchdowns. His return was impressive, but it is worth noting that his production that season was the lowest of his remarkable six-year run with New England

Vincent Jackson — In Week Five of the 2016 season, Jackson went down with an ACL tear. For the 33-year-old, it appeared to be the beginning of the end for his professional career — he failed to catch on with anyone this past season, and is likely headed for a post-football career sooner rather than later.