When Julian Edelman comes to mind, you think of how intricate of a piece he’s become and how he’s grown as a football player since being drafted in 2009. He’s been apart of two Super Bowl winning teams and whenever he’s needed to make a play, he’s always answered the call and done just that, make a play. Last season, he missed the entire 2017 campaign after tearing his ACL in a preseason game in Detroit against the Lions. He’s slated to make his return in 2018, but he will miss the first four games as he is facing a suspension for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
I interviewed Levan Reid, a beat writer for the New England Patriots and I remember asking him a question about Julian and what he means to this team and I also stated that I think he’s the heart and soul of the Patriots and he agreed with me. I really enjoy how he plays the game because he brings a toughness to the position. He’s a chain mover and when you need a first down or that yardage close to the first down marker, he can get you those yards and then some. He’s so shifty and crafty and he’s made comparisons to Wes Welker, but I think he’s a better player than Wes was. He plays the receiver position with the mentality of a running back because he doesn’t go down easily. He’s shifty in space, can make people miss and when you need that catch over the middle, Brady is finding #11 for the play. He’s a playmaker and he’s always moving, whether it’s in motion or off the line of scrimmage, he’s a very crafty football player.
This is a big loss for the Patriots because their receiving core isn’t necessarily the strongest entering the 2018 season. Let’s not forget the Patriots lost Danny Amendola to the Dolphins, they traded away Brandin Cooks to the Rams and now their receiving core consists of Kenny Britt, Phillip Dorsett, Jordan Matthews, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell and their sixth-round draft pick, Braxton Berrios, but if any team is capable of having any of these guys I mentioned step up in his absence, that’s the Patriots and they live by the next man up mentality.
