Which might be a record, I'm guessing
Aside from the 100s that have zero.
Great. So now it was Edelman's fault that the Pats offense sputtered down the stretch in 2009.
You said that he was an excellent replacement for Welker. I pointed out that getting some production, still less than Welker is an inaccurate gauge of the impace of a WR on an offense, and that the offense had its worst games when Welker was out. If you can't see that connection, you aren't looking.
This would be filed under "grasping at straws". He had the 2nd best season of any rookie WR in the BB era. He had as much production as Jordy Nelson and twice as much Antonio Brown. The point is that he showed undeniable potential. His last 2 seasons have been derailed by getting few snaps and what few he got were often out of position.
That production is part of his evaluation. The excuse that he doesn't catch passes because he is out of position at WR or pretending that 'low snaps' overcomes low receptions per snaps is grasping at straws. Especially in a thread where the discussion is him becoming the #3 WR.
What are you saying here. That there are 100's of examples of players who had never played WR in HS or college and came into the league and made an immediate impact? No there weren't 100's I doubt there were 10. And if any of them did (I'm think Hines Ward is one), they got one thing that Edelman hasn't gotten which is an opportunity to get consistent snap and looks at a position that fitted his skill set.
You know what I am saying. Picking out a handful of guys who started poorly then produced is an ignorant argument, unless you include all the players that started out poorly and never did anything.
But I guess you just eliminated your own comparisons because you think no who wasn't a WR in college and HS doesn't belong in the discussion.
No, Andy. You can continue to hold on to this opinion for as long as you want. And as to your question, let me ask one in return. Why is it so distressing to your that when someone views a young inexperienced player who hasn't had a opportunity to put up numbers, might be likely to be able to make that leap when he gets the opportunity to play regularly.
It is not distressing at all. It just isn't realistic given his career to date. It doesn't mean its impossible, but by the same token I could argue Jermaine Cunningham becoming the next LT and have the equivalent 'evidence' to what you present.
I'm guessing, if you had been a Steeler fan and got the news that Mike Vrabel had left to join the Patriots, your first response would have been. "good riddance. He never produced anything here anyway."
Actually, I would have probably would have recognized he wasn't a good fit in the Steelers 1gap system but been disappointed he didn't work out.
Are you seriously trying to compare Julian Edelman as a WR to Mike Vrabel as a LB?
You are making the same old tired argument that we've discussed before. All the receivers you mention play different positions than Edelman.
No they do not. They play it BETTER so they get on the field.
The slot receiver has a different skill set. If the Pats were so desperate for help at the outside receiver spot, why didn't they put Welker out there?
They did. Who do you think was the outside WR in 2 WR sets?
Isn't he a starting quality WR? The answer is of course obvious.
Which is why he played there, and why they chose a better option outside with Welker inside over using Edleman. There is also more than 1 slot receiver in 1 back formations.
They didn't, because his skill set better served the team playing primarily in the slot.
Of course since they did, this is nonsense.
I'm sure that you would agree that it takes separate skill sets to play ILB and OLB, yet they are both LB's Why can't you acknowledge that there are separate skill sets for WR's as well
Different variations of skills but the same basic skill set. Vrabel, Thomas, Bruschi, Johnson, Phifer, and now Hightower have all played both inside and out, based on where they were needed. Edelman has been on the bench.
THAT's the point. I don't know yet. And I won't until he gets the OPPORTUNITY.
He has had 3 years of opportunity.
Here's the crux of the matter. You look at the sum total of Edelman's tenure as a Patriot and have determined, unequivocally, that he cannot be a starting WR (either slot or outside). period. I look at the same evidence and have concluded that there is good chance that he MIGHT be that player (especially in the slot)
So our argument boils down to I have analyzed the situation and drawn a conclusion and you want to argue we should just not have an opinion?
I think what offends me in this long running debate is your absolute certainty of your opinion despite some very good evidence, which even if you don't agree with it has merit.
I have an opinion and you have done absolutely nothing to influence it. What do you want me to do, pretend I am waffling in my assessment to make you feel better?
The 'evidence' you present is not good, and I have given a reasonable, measured counterpoint to every piece of it. The fact that you think catching 6 passes for 44 yards while the offense had about its worst day ever is proof that Edelman can replace Welker while I think its proof losing Welker killed us, other than in counting meaningless receptions in a blowout, is the impasse. I am not going to change my mind or consider that good evidence when I see it as entirely the opposite.
I on the other hand have never stated, with that same absolute certainty, that he could replace a good part of Welker's production.
You do not move from your opinion, I do not move from mine. Claiming some kind of lack of commitment to your opinion doesn't change that.
My position is, based on what I've seen when he got the opportunity to play the slot regularly, there was every indication that he COULD be that guy. And nothing coming from TC this season would lead me to believe otherwise.
What percentage of opinions formed based upon reports coming from camp have you found to be reliable? 10%?Less?
Even though, given the likely roster, there is little chance (outside of injury) that he'll get much of a chance this season either.
So yuo are trumpeting his talent, jumping into a thread arguing he could earn the #3 spot, and agreeing he doesn't have enough skill to get on the field
