Report: Patriots ‘Poised to Move On’ From Malcolm Mitchell After Knee Procedure
Malcolm Mitchell helped deliver a championship for the New England Patriots with a clutch performance in Super Bowl LI. That may be the last time he’s ever seen in a Pats uniform – perhaps even on an NFL field.
Following a multitude of reports about the Patriots possibly shopping Mitchell, who underwent a new knee procedure on Monday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network provided some “clarity” on his situation via Twitter on Tuesday. Mitchell did undergo a procedure on his injured knee, but Rapoport says it was “not a surgery” and it was meant to “accelerate healing”.
More concerning for Patriots fans is Rapoport added that the team is “poised to move on” from the wideout as the 2018 season approaches.
At this point, the Patriots probably wouldn’t get more than a sixth- or seventh-round pick in a potential trade involving Mitchell. He’s likely to end up off the roster either way, which would create a negligible $144,498 in dead cap money over the next two years.
Malcolm Mitchell of the New England Patriots (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
If the Pats can’t find a trade partner for Mitchell and send him to the open market, it would be fair to wonder about the receiver’s future in the NFL. He’s dealt with serious knee problems since before entering the league and has already missed one entire season because of them. Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal reported that Mitchell won’t be ready for the start of training camp, and that he believes his 2018 season could be in jeopardy after missing all of 2017.
New England will also be without Julian Edelman for the first four games of the 2018 regular season, as he serves a four-game suspension. Wide receiver is far from settled as the Patriots enter training camp, with no sure things to make the 53-man roster beyond Edelman and Chris Hogan. Phillip Dorsett, Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, and Riley McCarron will all get long looks, while Matthew Slater and Cordarrelle Patterson are likely to make the roster for special teams.
With the Patriots picking up Britt’s option and signing Matthews, in addition to drafting Miami’s Braxton Berrios in the sixth round, it appears that they weren’t necessarily counting on Mitchell to make any more contributions to the team. His likely departure will leave at least two WR spots wide open at the start of camp.
— By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at [email protected].
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