NFL notebook: Tests confirm torn ACL for Patriots WR Edelman

New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman sustained a torn ACL in his right knee in Friday’s preseason win over the Detroit Lions and will miss the 2017 season.

The Patriots feared the worst after the game and the full extent of the injury was determined Saturday after an MRI exam. The team did not disclose a specific diagnosis but later confirmed the injury to his right knee and that he will miss the entire season. The extent of the injury was first reported Saturday by the MMQB’s Albert Breer.

Edelman went down with 13:12 left in the first quarter with a noncontact injury on the team’s first drive. He finished the game with three catches and 52 yards.

Edelman has been Tom Brady’s most frequent target over the last four years. Edelman has made 356 receptions for 3,826 yards and 20 touchdowns in that span.

–The Patriots released defensive lineman Kony Ealy, who was acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers in March.

The 25-year-old Ealy played three NFL seasons with the Panthers after entering the NFL as a second-round draft pick (60th overall) by the Panthers in 2014.

Ealy has played in 47 regular-season games, with 15 starts, and has 76 tackles, 14 sacks, one interception, five passes defensed, six forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Last year, Ealy played in 16 games, with six starts, and finished with 32 total tackles, five sacks, three passes defensed and two forced fumbles.

–Jacksonville Jaguars coach Doug Marrone named Blake Bortles the team’s starting quarterback for the season opener against the Houston Texans.

The announcement came two days after the Jaguars started Chad Henne in their third preseason game and a little more than a week after Marrone opened up the job for competition. The Jaguars returned to practice Saturday afternoon and close the preseason Thursday night on the road against the Atlanta Falcons before preparing for the Sept. 10 opener in Houston.

Marrone indicated the competition between Bortles and Henne would continue into the preseason finale after neither quarterback did enough to win the job in the Jaguars’ 24-23 loss to the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Field on Thursday night.

–Kansas City Chiefs running back Spencer Ware will undergo an MRI exam to determine the extent of a right knee injury sustained in Friday night’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks.

A source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that Ware suffered a PCL injury and the MRI should determine how much time he will miss. Ware was carted off the field in the first quarter of the 26-13 preseason loss to the Seahawks.

The timetable for Ware’s return could be as little as two weeks and as many as eight, according to ESPN.

The 5-foot-10, 229-pound Ware led the Chiefs with 921 rushing yards on 214 carries last season. He scored five touchdowns — three rushing and two receiving.

–The Tennessee Titans still haven’t completely decided on whether running back DeMarco Murray will make his preseason debut Sunday against the Chicago Bears.

Murray was expected to be a go in each of the past two weeks from a nagging hamstring injury. He practiced last week in joint work with the Carolina Panthers but was held out last week after coach Mike Mularkey said he wanted to see a “bigger burst” from Murray in his running.

Murray returned to practice, getting good reviews this week in practice from Mularkey and appeared to be a go Sunday against the Bears. But Mularkey indicated after Friday’s practice that he needed to watch the practice film before green-lighting his star running back.