Patriots Draft History: The 1998 Season Of Robert Edwards

[PatsFans.com Article]

Patriots Draft History: The 1998 Season Of Robert Edwards

Robert Alvarez

A look back at the Patriots 1998 drafting of running back Robert Edwards.

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[oldrover]

All I can think of is the ending. And then...

 

[captain stone]

1998 was the 2nd of 3 straight horrible, HORRIBLE drafts by Booby Grier, including the picks of Edwards (an injury magnet from college) & Tebucky Jones, when DLman Vonnie Holliday (my choice at 18) & OLmen Flozell the Hotel Adams (from Nick Saban's Michigan State) & Alan Faneca were still available...and a certain WR whose name escapes me.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I hate the pro bowl and various all star games. Remember when Pedro blew everyone away only to hurt his shoulder?

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

1998 was the 2nd of 3 straight horrible, HORRIBLE drafts by Booby Grier, including the picks of Edwards (an injury magnet from college) & Tebucky Jones, when DLman Vonnie Holliday (my first choice) & OLmen Flozell the Hotel Adams (from Nick Saban's Michigan State) & Alan Faneca were still available...and a certain WR whose name escapes me.

Agreed on Edwards. He showed the talent his rookie season but if the injury didn’t happen in the sand it was gonna happen on the field at some point. And don’t forget about katzenmoyer

 

[italian pat patriot]

i was so happy for his rookie season

i liked him a lot

 

[Shockt327]

Agreed on Edwards. He showed the talent his rookie season but if the injury didn’t happen in the sand it was gonna happen on the field at some point. And don’t forget about katzenmoyer

Still trying to forget about Chris Canty....

 

[scott99]

I was thrilled with Edwards. Especially after losing Curtis Martin, I thought Edwards was a great replacement. That injury was a dagger to the heart. Great rookie season.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Robert Edwards showed promise his rookie year, but I still can't believe he sustained that freak injury playing on the beach of all places. Had the Colts not traded Marshall Faulk (still don't know why they did that) in '99, I believe the Pats were trying to trade with the Colts to land Edgerin James.

As frustrating as Grier's draft picks were, if it weren't for the Pats losing Martin and Grier screwing up draft picks, it's likely the Pats would've played well enough for Carroll to stay as the head coach which means BB may have been a coach elsewhere. Which also means, Tom Brady may have been playing elsewhere as well. Hindsight 20/20, had the Pats had better drafts, I still don't think they would've been able to get past the Broncos or Jets in '98, Titans or Jaguars in '99 or the Ravens in 2000. So really, we should all be thanking Bobby Grier.

Agreed on Edwards. He showed the talent his rookie season but if the injury didn’t happen in the sand it was gonna happen on the field at some point. And don’t forget about katzenmoyer

Katzenmoyer showed promise before his career ending neck injury. You can't fault him or Grier for that. Like the Bears with Urlacher's first year, the Pats didn't know what to do with him.

 

[FortressX]

He broke free in St Louis one time, but was caught from behind.

That was the pre Brady Pats.

 

[Shockt327]

Robert Edwards showed promise his rookie year, but I still can't believe he sustained that freak injury playing on the beach of all places. Had the Colts not traded Marshall Faulk (still don't know why they did that) in '99, I believe the Pats were trying to trade with the Colts to land Edgerin James.

As frustrating as Grier's draft picks were, if it weren't for the Pats losing Martin and Grier screwing up draft picks, it's likely the Pats would've played well enough for Carroll to stay as the head coach which means BB may have been a coach elsewhere. Which also means, Tom Brady may have been playing elsewhere as well. Hindsight 20/20, had the Pats had better drafts, I still don't think they would've been able to get past the Broncos or Jets in '98, Titans or Jaguars in '99 or the Ravens in 2000. So really, we should all be thanking Bobby Grier.

Katzenmoyer showed promise before his career ending neck injury. You can't fault him or Grier for that. Like the Bears with Urlacher's first year, the Pats didn't know what to do with him.

Speaking of Katzenmoyer, I never really understood why Bobby Grier bothered to use a 1st rd pick on, essentially, a Todd Collins replacement (who Bruschi took over for anyway, iirc). You already had McGinest and Slade on the outside edges, with Bruschi and Johnson over the guards. Why another LB? The team had much greater immediate needs. A quality LB rotation is great, but why do it at such a high cost?

 

[patriot1136]

Great article, takes me back. I was a big Robert Edwards fan. My dad watches a lot of NCAA and was happy when we got him after seeing him in some Georgia games. Terrible what happened with his knee and a crazy freak injury. I am glad he did make somewhat of a decent NFL comeback and had some success in the CFL. Its cool he is still involved in football as a coach.

 

[Joey007]

I was thrilled with Edwards. Especially after losing Curtis Martin, I thought Edwards was a great replacement. That injury was a dagger to the heart. Great rookie season.

Which then lead to an awkward year of relying on the aged Terry Allen in 99.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Gotta wonder what BB would have done with C-Mart in 1998 if he was GM

 

[TheRainMaker]

Speaking of Katzenmoyer, I never really understood why Bobby Grier bothered to use a 1st rd pick on, essentially, a Todd Collins replacement (who Bruschi took over for anyway, iirc). You already had McGinest and Slade on the outside edges, with Bruschi and Johnson over the guards. Why another LB? The team had much greater immediate needs. A quality LB rotation is great, but why do it at such a high cost?

I hear what you're saying but I think LB was still a need because Bruschi was at that time only a rotational guy and not trusted to be a full time starter. Katenmoyer was better suited as a MLB but Ted Johnson was already there and considered one of the best at that position. So I guess it was kind of an odd choice but I remember during that time the Pats were looking for playmakers on defense.

Gotta wonder what BB would have done with C-Mart in 1998 if he was GM

Like Talib, I think BB would've let him walk. As good as Martin was, he seemed to get injured and not available for big games. And like Talib, they both became "Iron Man" with their new teams.

 

[IllegalContact]

1998 was the 2nd of 3 straight horrible, HORRIBLE drafts by Booby Grier, including the picks of Edwards (an injury magnet from college) & Tebucky Jones, when DLman Vonnie Holliday (my choice at 18) & OLmen Flozell the Hotel Adams (from Nick Saban's Michigan State) & Alan Faneca were still available...and a certain WR whose name escapes me.

take your pick.....BB drafted darius butler instead of connor barwin

they all do it

BTW, Jones was drafted at 22 and as bad as people would like to say he is, he lasted 3 years under BB

 

[RobertWeathers]

I hear what you're saying but I think LB was still a need because Bruschi was at that time only a rotational guy and not trusted to be a full time starter. Katenmoyer was better suited as a MLB but Ted Johnson was already there and considered one of the best at that position. So I guess it was kind of an odd choice but I remember during that time the Pats were looking for playmakers on defense.

Like Talib, I think BB would've let him walk. As good as Martin was, he seemed to get injured and not available for big games. And like Talib, they both became "Iron Man" with their new teams.

He missed two playoff games in 1997 with a dislocated shoulder and a groin injury. That was it. Other that than he was a workhorse for the NEP behind a pass-blocking o-line

 

[Shockt327]

I hear what you're saying but I think LB was still a need because Bruschi was at that time only a rotational guy and not trusted to be a full time starter. Katenmoyer was better suited as a MLB but Ted Johnson was already there and considered one of the best at that position. So I guess it was kind of an odd choice but I remember during that time the Pats were looking for playmakers on defense.

See, this is what I was kind of wondering, too. What did the coaching-staff/front-office think of Bruschi in the spring of '99, before they drafted Katzenmoyer? Hindsight is always 20-20, and I know the rings from '01-'04 can easily influence one's memory....

But I always remember Bruschi making plays, even as a 3rd down backup, in 1996. Fans were always pumped about him. He was certainly a tweener, but one with potential that was expected to become a starter at some point. Then again, I know I remember Todd Collins being a starter, too. Can't remember when, but I know Bruschi was getting more and more reps by '98 that he certainly wasn't just a backup anymore. So, it's just odd to think they would spend such a high draft pick on a LB.

 

[TheRainMaker]

He missed two playoff games in 1997 with a dislocated shoulder and a groin injury. That was it. Other that than he was a workhorse for the NEP behind a pass-blocking o-line

He was injured in the Super Bowl against the Packers. He was used more a just a decoy that game. Remember?

 

[RobertWeathers]

He was injured in the Super Bowl against the Packers. He was used more a just a decoy that game. Remember?

Don't recall. He seemed to run fine to me.