Patriots’ Julian Edelman out for season with torn ACL

New England’s worst fears have been realized. Julian Edelman is done for the season.

An MRI on Saturday revealed that Edelman indeed suffered an ACL tear in his right knee during Friday’s preseason win over the Lions, a source informed of the situation told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The Patriots’ Super Bowl hero will miss the 2017 season.

The MMQB’s Albert Breer first reported the news.

Edelman went down on a non-contact play as he was scampering through the secondary on his third catch of the opening drive, and then limped off the field. He was later carted to the locker room and did not return.

The 32-year-old receiver has been Brady’s most reliable target for years. Edelman has earned more than nine targets per game over the last four seasons and has averaged more than 11 yards per catch the past five years. He is coming off a career-high 1,106-yard 2016 season. Edelman signed a two-year, $11 million contract with $7 million guaranteed before this offseason.

As far as injuries to New England’s offense go, this one hurts, but doesn’t derail the train as much as a sidelined Rob Gronkowski or — heavens forbid — Tom Brady would. The plug-and-play nature of the Patriots’ attack should facilitate an easy transition in the slot from Edelman to Danny Amendola or one of New England’s 63 pass-catching running backs.

Chris Hogan, new acquisition Brandin Cooks and the Patriots’ tight ends should be the greatest beneficiaries of Edelman’s absence. Hogan and Cooks are suddenly New England’s go-to receivers and will be expected to replace, in tandem, Edelman’s nearly 100 receptions from last season. Gronkowski and former Colts tight end Dwayne Allen should see increased targets on third-down conversions.

Edelman’s absence will change how New England attacks the season and opposing defenses, but as long as No. 12 is under center, dreams of Super Bowl glory should not and will not be abandoned.

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Venezuelan army and militias hold exercises after US threat

Hugh Bronstein

3 Min Read

CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela held nationwide armed forces exercises on Saturday, calling on civilians to join reserve units to defend against a possible attack after U.S. President Donald Trump warned of a “military option” for the crisis-hit country.

Trump made the threat of military action against Venezuela two weeks ago and on Friday he signed an order prohibiting dealings in new debt from the Venezuelan government or its oil company, a move to hobble financing that Trump says is fueling President Nicolas Maduro’s “dictatorship.”

“Against the belligerent threats of the United States, all Venezuelans between the ages of 18 and 60 are required to contribute to the integral defense of the nation,” said an announcement broadcast on state television.

The government said it expected 700,000 civilian militia members and 200,000 soldiers, sailors and airmen to participate.

State TV images showed Venezuelans young and old entering military reserve registration centers. But there was no evidence of registration beyond the most ardent supporters of Maduro’s Socialist Party.

Live broadcasts were aired of camouflaged sharp-shooters at target practice while military commanders gave fiery speeches at “anti-imperialist” rallies. Air force, infantry and naval exercises were expected later on Saturday and Sunday.

Diplomatic tensions increased last month when a legislative superbody called the constituent assembly was elected at Maduro’s behest. It has the power to legislate, bypassing the opposition-controlled congress.

Maduro says the new assembly is Venezuela’s only hope of restoring peace after months of deadly anti-government protests.

Governments around the world denounced the election of the 545-member super-assembly as a farcical power grab by Maduro.

Leaders of the fractious opposition coalition boycotted the July 30 election of the assembly. They called instead for an early presidential election, which Maduro would likely lose as his popularity sinks along with an economy blighted by triple-digit inflation and acute shortages of food and medicine.

Trump’s threat of military action played into Maduro’s hands by supporting his oft-repeated assertion that the U.S. “empire” has been waging economic war on Venezuela and wants to invade the country to steal its vast oil reserves.

The idea had been laughed off as absurd by opposition and U.S. officials before Aug. 11, when Trump said that “a military operation, a military option is certainly something we could pursue” as a way of ending Venezuela’s crisis.

Reporting by Hugh Bronstein, additional reporting by Deisy Buitrago and Johnny Carvajal; Editing by Andrew Hay

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