The 2020 NFL season is frustrating for the New England Patriots and playoff legend Julian Edelman.
The Patriots were 7-9 marked and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2008, while Edelman played six games while battling an annoying knee injury.
Edelman did not give a definitive answer about the retirement at a recent appearance on Barstool Sports’ podcast “Pardon My Take”, however, it turns out that the receiver will see it in 2021. And with the way the New England intensity chart is stacked lately, the Patriots can use it next season.
However, patriots shouldn’t plan on giving Edelman a full-time role, so they’ll want 3 receivers open and dying around the 34-year-old. Currently, only Edelman, Jakobi Meyers, N’Keal Harry, Gunner Olszewski, Marqise Lee, Devin Smith, Kristian Wilkerson and Isaiah Zuber are signed for 2021.
Meyers proved in 2020 that he was willing to do so. Patriots cannot enter the 2021 season depending on Harry being a specific choice number 1, 2 or 3 after not producing in their first season.
In an ideal world, Edelman would be used as Danny Amendola deployed his career at the Patriots: as a 3/4 room that reaches the box in apparent passing situations.
Edelman and Harry may potentially have a Number 3 role, but if the Patriots really need their pass offense, they deserve to take a look to upload two initial features this off-season through loose will, industry and/or draft.
It’s a smart year to want a more sensible open catcher, with Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Kenny Golladay, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Will Fuller, Curtis Samuel, Corey Davis and Marvin Jones hitting everything in firm loose and Ja’Marr Chase, Devonta Smith Jaylen Waddle, Rashod Bateman and Kadarius Toney will be in the draft. The Patriots will have more than $60 million in the roof area and the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
There were several reasons why the Patriots offensive stuttered in 2020, the main one being the fact that Quarterback Cam Newton pitched with Meyers, Harry, Byrd, closed wing Ryan Izzo, fullback Jakob Johnson and offensive medium James White as his most productive options.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick can’t let that happen to those who start as quarterbacks in 2021.