Julian Edelman stands as one of the game’s most impactful slot receivers. He’s been Tom Brady’s most trusted go-to guys and one of the league’s most productive receivers.
He’s also been a huge bargain for the Patriots.
The four-year, $17 million deal he signed in 2014 was certainly decent enough in terms of guarantees and real money ($5 million signing bonus, $8 million guaranteed), but it still left him underpaid and looking up the salary scale at the game’s top receivers.
Edelman, however, is entering the final year of that contract.
Might Brady’s favorite receiver finally cash in this time around?
Edelman didn’t have the best timing the last time he hit the market, and considering he turns 31 tomorrow, might not break the bank this time either. Between his age, and the proposition of playing in a loaded offense, he could suffer the same fate.
After all, Brady has all of these new weapons, be it Brandin Cooks, Dwayne Allen, Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead, et al, to work into the system.
Edelman, of course, had his usually productive season in 2016, playing in all 19 games and catching 98 passes for 1,106 yards in the regular season. The question is how much Cooks and the new guys cut into his targets?
It’s hard to say at this point. Brady still tends to go to Edelman whenever he’s in trouble or he needs a play. No one will ever forget the insane fourth-quarter catch Edelman made in Super Bowl LI to give the Patriots a chance to complete the biggest comeback in the marquee game’s history, as he somehow came up with a ball that deflected off several Falcons defenders and held on — even with one of those defender’s legs stuck in the crook of his arm.
Cooks, 23, is on board for two seasons. Some have speculated he would be Edelman’s successor in the slot, just as Edelman went on to fill Wes Welker’s shoes when Welker, then 32, wasn’t re-signed upon hitting free agency.
And while there was some suggestion early in the year, mostly media generated, that Welker’s numbers were being purposefully managed that final season, he did finish with typical totals (118 catches, 1,354 yards, six TDs) before testing the market and ultimately signing with Denver after a contentious negotiation with the Patriots.
As for Edelman, we’ll see how it plays out. While it’s easy to draw parallels with Welker, it’s still early in the game.
When it comes to personal statistics, NFL analyst and former Patriot Heath Evans sees Edelman as the ultimate team guy who wouldn’t be rattled by having the ball spread around if it meant more wins.
“He’s one of the most self-less players I’ve watched over the years.
“He might go on these catch droughts for a few weeks, but the mindset never changes,” Evans said. “In the day and age we live in — it’s such a prima donna wide receiver position — he’s everything you want. He can do it all. I really don’t think he’s worried about how many passes he’s gonna catch. I think he’s worried about another Super Bowl ring. He wants to hoist more Lombardis. That’s Jules.”
There’s also going to be a learning process for the new guys with Brady getting to know them, and establishing some chemistry. Maybe it comes quick, maybe it doesn’t. History has shown evidence of each. Brady always has Edelman in his back pocket. His numbers shouldn’t change all that much unless he gets hurt.
Said Evans: “It’s the trust factor. It’s going to take time for Brandin to get caught up in the offense. It’s going to take time for Dwayne Allen to get caught up in the offense. It’s going to take time for Gillislee and Burkhead and all the different pieces, (James) O’Shaughnessy the tight end, to get caught up in what they do,” said Evans. “And when push comes to shove, we know what we’re going to get out of Julian every snap of every game.
“It’s like (Rob Gronkowski) when he’s healthy. We know where he’s going to be. We know he’s going to make an impactful play. And that’s never going to change.”
There are lesser receivers, granted with different physical attributes and skills sets, who make a ton more money than Edelman. Some of the deals that went down this past year alone, have pushed Edelman way down the salary board. Marvin Jones signed a five-year deal worth $50 million with the Lions. Kenny Britt signed a four-year deal worth $32.5 million with the Browns, while Tavon Austin signed a four-year $42 million contract extension with the Rams.
“I know Wes got into a contract dispute with the Pats, and wound up going to Denver,” Evans said. “I don’t think we’re going to see that with Jules. I think Jules embraces the grind-it-out-for-the-common-good mentality. I think he gets the fact, maybe taking less money, you make more for the next 20-30 years (with business interests), because you form such a legacy in an area of the country that’s never going to forget you.”
Edelman enjoys being a Patriot. He’s marketed himself well, and there’s no question he fits in perfectly with the offense. He’s a gamer, he’s clutch, and even with Cooks and the rest added in, it’s hard to imagine Brady forgetting his binky.
Blount sees opportunity
LeGarrette Blount is gone from Foxboro — for a second time — signing with the Eagles Thursday. He was the power back, performed the role when needed during two Super Bowl championships, and simply wanted more money than the Pats wanted to give.
He loved and thrived in the Patriots culture, and the team seemed to get a kick out of him and appreciated his efforts.
“We kind of play a lot of different ways around here. Sometimes he gets the ball a ton and sometimes he doesn’t get it much, and he’s never complained or said one thing about that,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said of Blount during the season. “He just embraces whatever his role is in the game and tries to do it the best he can. . . . He’s really come up big and produced in a lot of critical situations for us over the years.”
Blount’s contributions were never more vital, than the first four games of last season, when the Pats were operating without Brady, didn’t have Gronkowski for two of those games, and were without Dion Lewis for the first 10 weeks. The running game was the staple, and Blount was effective. He had 88 carries for 352 yards in those first four games.
Speaking in Philadelphia Thursday, Blount, 30, talked about why he signed with the Eagles.
“I chose the Eagles for a specific reason,” Blount told the Allentown Morning Call. “This is a real good team. The chances of making this team have a championship run and having a better season . . . you know they’re a real good team. They were a really good team before I came.
“They have a lot of really special players on the team that make a lot of good plays. So I just want to fit in somewhere.”
Smith not worrying
Alex Smith has been on the losing end of a quarterback battle before. After seven years in San Francisco, he was shipped out to Kansas City when Colin Kaepernick became the preferred option.
With the Chiefs drafting Patrick Mahomes, making a giant move up the board to land the Texas Tech star with the No. 10 pick, he understands people drawing comparisons. Only Smith, who’s led the Chiefs to a 41-20 record as a starter, isn’t falling into that well.
“I’m at a different place than the last time I dealt with something like this,” Smith told the Kansas City Star. “I get it. If any of us were the GMs, this is, maybe the most important position in all of sports, and it would be crazy not to be stockpiling talent. You’d be nuts not to. So I get it, right? I’m going into Year 13.
“But at the same time, that doesn’t change my focus, right? I feel like I’ve got a lot of years left in me and still feel like I’m getting better.”
While there are similarities, Smith still sees it as different.
“I’ve kind of been asked that a lot, and people kind of try to, like, bring that up,” Smith said. “Obviously, they took a QB early, and that scenario and everything that comes with that is similar. Other than that, this is a completely different coaching staff, a completely different team. I feel like I’m a much different player. So all of those are very different.”
