The New England Patriots begin training camp Thursday, but their Super Bowl MVP reportedly won't be joining them.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman is expected to miss about three weeks due to a left thumb injury, ESPN's Adam Schefter and Field Yates reported Monday.
Edelman was spotted this weekend wearing a small brace on his left thumb covered by a glove at his youth football camp in Sudbury, Mass.
A three-week recovery would force the 33-year-old receiver to miss the Patriots' first preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Aug. 8.
Schefter and Yates suggested Edelman hurt himself while catching a pass, and while it's "unclear" whether he suffered a break or sprain, his absence will allow more training camp reps for a revamped receiving corps that includes rookie N'Keal Harry and free-agent signings Maurice Harris and Dontrelle Inman.
UPDATE (9:55 a.m. ET): NFL Network's Michael Giardi reports Edelman will miss "multiple weeks," but his colleague, Ian Rapoport, describes the injury as "mild trauma" that shouldn't sideline the wideout too long.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.