Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, who has been out with a knee injury, has been placed on the COVID-19 list. Gary Landers/Associated Press

The Patriots placed wide receiver Julian Edelman on their COVID-19 reserve list Monday.

It is unknown if Edelman has tested positive for the virus or been deemed a high-risk close contact of someone who has. If he tested positive, Edelman must self-quarantine for at least 10 days. The 34-year-old receiver has already missed the team’s last five games weeks after undergoing surgery for a chronic knee issue and being placed on injured reserve on Oct. 31.

Edelman is the ninth Patriot to land on the team’s COVID-19 reserve list and first since mid-October. He has 21 catches for 315 yards this season, most in a 179-yard game at Seattle in Week 2. Edelman has been eligible to practice for almost two weeks, but remains sidelined.

The Pats have been operating under the assumption Edelman could return to play this season. Their next games are both in Los Angeles, on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers and next Thursday night at the Rams. Edelman won’t see game action until at lest Week 15, when the Patriots are scheduled to play at Miami on Dec. 20.

Asked Monday during a radio interview on WEEI when Edelman might return, Pats Coach Bill Belichick said: “He’s got tremendous will and a great work ethic, and (he’s) very competitive,” the coach added. “Football is very important to him, so it would take a lot for me to count him out, put it that way.”