Is It Time For Edelman To Go?

[mgteich]

Is it time for Edelman to go? Have we finally addressed the areas where he was competitive? It seems that Belichick has gone out of his way to make sure that WR and CB have lots of competition. Lack of depth may be an issue at other roster positions, but it seems that we will not have lack of depth at WR or CB.

WIDE RECEIVER (5)
He is not close to being competitive as one of our 5 wide receivers. I suspect that our consensus is Welker, Lloyd, Branch, Stallworth/Gonzales and a draftee.

NICKEL BACK
We currently, we have 6 corners who are ahead of Edelman.
McCourty, Dowling, Arrington, Moore, Allen, Cole, draftee
I'd like to keep all 6, although I think it likely that a draftee will take one of the roster spots.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Our top 4 special teamers are Slater, White, Cole and Koutouvides. We may only keep three. As many have indicated, Edelman's punt return game isn't worth a roster spot. Someone else can likely do as well, or almost as well.

BOTTOM LINE
There are always injuries. The last five spots are always up for grabs. Perhaps Edelman can sneak in at the end. However, it seems unreasonable to predict that he will make the team.

 

[Ring 6]

Is it time for Edelman to go? Have we finally addressed the areas where he was competitive? It seems that Belichick has gone out of his way to make sure that WR and CB have lots of competition. Lack of depth may be an issue at other roster positions, but it seems that we will not have lack of depth at WR or CB.

WIDE RECEIVER (5)
He is not close to being competitive as one of our 5 wide receivers. I suspect that our consensus is Welker, Lloyd, Branch, Stallworth/Gonzales and a draftee.

NICKEL BACK
We currently, we have 6 corners who are ahead of Edelman.
McCourty, Dowling, Arrington, Moore, Allen, Cole, draftee
I'd like to keep all 6, although I think it likely that a draftee will take one of the roster spots.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Our top 4 special teamers are Slater, White, Cole and Koutouvides. We may only keep three. As many have indicated, Edelman's punt return game isn't worth a roster spot. Someone else can likely do as well, or almost as well.

BOTTOM LINE
There are always injuries. The last five spots are always up for grabs. Perhaps Edelman can sneak in at the end. However, it seems unreasonable to predict that he will make the team.

He reminds me a lot of Klecko, an overachiever that you keep trying to find a role for, but never find him to be good enough at any of them. Both had great versatility and attitudes, but overachievers have a short shelf life.

 

[BTTA]

I'd say yes, except he covers so many potential injury bug disasters with one guy.

 

[rookBoston]

Hell no. What an idea. He's the ultimate swiss army knife. How many jams has he gotten the team out of with his versatility. He's a lifer.

 

[aurakilla]

NOOOOOO

didnt he play olb 1 play AND RUSH THE PASSER?

 

[Big-T]

...no

He's the best punt returner on the roster and offers cover in multiple positions.

 

[jah]

You really think Allen, Cole, and Koutouvides have a better shot at the roster than Edelman?

 

[old 55]

I just rewatched the Denver playoff game and there was a single play that Edelman made that reminded me of how he can stretch a play. He caught a ball late in the 1st half and he slipped ahead for a few yards, enough to get the 1st down & also got out of bounds to stop the clock. That was a good play and we later scored on the drive.
If you recall, he had a good game against the Ravens in the 2009 playoff loss.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Edes makes the 53
Versitile
Welker slot backup
Faulk is GONE as the Welker PR alternative
And Edes is better than the last 2-3 nickel backs

 

[SirApropos]

If they can draft a CB/KR to replace him then yes.

 

[Sciz]

No way. There's nobody else on the roster who can do Welker's slot job better than Edelman in case of an injury (God forbid). How about a few examples? He had 8 catches for 98 yards against the Jets in his second ever game as a wide receiver in Week 2 of 2009. He had 10 for 103 in week 17 that year. In the playoff game, he was one of the few players who actually played well, with 6 receptions, 44 yards, and 2 TDs. In the only game Welker has missed since then (2010 week 17), Edelman had 3 receptions for 72 yards. Other than that, Edelman hasn't seen much production, but that's because he's playing horribly out of position any time he's not playing in Welker's role. Welker is about to be a 31 year old wide receiver on a 1 year contract. That's the worst possible time to get rid of his backup who has played well in his absence.

On special teams, Edelman has the two longest punt returns and the only two punt return touchdowns of the last decade for the Patriots. You have to go back to 2001 Troy Brown for the last time the Pats had a punt returner as good as Edelman right now. Had Edelman's return against the Bears in 2010 not gotten called back, he'd have the 3 longest returns and only 3 TDs for the Pats over the past decade.

And it's not like he's only a punt returner. He started covering kicks too, and had a few tackles (edit: 5 ST tackles in the regular season, 1 more in playoffs). He was playing on 3 of the 4 main special teams units for part of the season. I'll be the first to say that I'd love for him to not be returning kicks next year, but he's still got value as the second returner, the one who's the second furthest guy back. If there's one thing we learned about Edelman this year especially, it's that he's not afraid to hit somebody.

On defense, who's to say that he's a worse option than someone like Cole? Cole has been playing for 5 years (two on practice squads), and has gotten substantial playing time on defense in exactly one game, a week 17 game in which the Jets were resting both starting CBs. Edelman learned how to play defense with some part-time practice during the season. With a little extra work this offseason, why can't he be the #5 CB? Outside of basically one drive, he wasn't really a liability.


Basically, I think you're selling him short in all three phases. He's going to make the roster.

 

[mgteich]

A better shot, yes. However, only Cole is real favorite to make the roster at this point.

You really think Allen, Cole, and Koutouvides have a better shot at the roster than Edelman?

 

[condon84]

Get rid of our best punt returner and one of our most versatile players?

 

[Ring 6]

A better shot, yes. However, only Cole is real favorite to make the roster at this point.

I would rephrase it as those 3, or whoever is in the spot you are envisioning for them all have a better chance.
ie Allen as the 4th corner. Cole as an extra DB, mostly ster, and Koutivides as a special teamer and emergency LB.
Given that Edelman would be so far donw on the WR depth chart, and won't be playing defense again, each would have a larger role by playing all s/ts.

 

[shmessy]

As many have indicated, Edelman's punt return game isn't worth a roster spot. Someone else can likely do as well, or almost as well.

No.

ten characters

 

[signbabybrady]

Why are we getting rid of him in march?
Clearly he brings tons of value to camp and let's wait and see. I give him as much a chance if not better to make the 53 as Stallworth, ocho, gonzalez, or Tiquan. He has punt return and versatility over them all and is still developing as a Wr let's not forget he was a qb in college. Who knows how long if ever it takes to click at wr but let's give him another camp.

 

[BradyBranch39]

I really hope the people who want to get rid of him aren't the same people who want to bring in Amendola.

 

[Ring 6]

Why are we getting rid of him in march?
Clearly he brings tons of value to camp and let's wait and see. I give him as much a chance if not better to make the 53 as Stallworth, ocho, gonzalez, or Tiquan. He has punt return and versatility over them all and is still developing as a Wr let's not forget he was a qb in college. Who knows how long if ever it takes to click at wr but let's give him another camp.

I dont think anyone is saying cut him today, but just that his chances of making the team seem dubious.

 

[BlueThunder]

Edelman would be a tough cut....

I'd wait til TC is over and look at who shakes out before even thinking of him as a cut.

 

[signbabybrady]

I dont think anyone is saying cut him today, but just that his chances of making the team seem dubious.

I know that but he brings so much to the table that it seems foolish to even suggest until we actually see something in tc out of Stallworth, gonzalez, ocho or Tiquan as well as someone replace him as PRer. To me both have to happen before he is in trouble. Not necessarily crazy to see it happen but let's wait until it does.