Discussing an Edelman contract extension

[varjao]

I was taking a look at some Patriots contracts and according to the website spotrac.com Edelmans cap hit for 2017 is 5.750,000 and he is an UFA next year.

He is a top 5 receiver in the league although he does not get the recognition he deserves but whatever.

He is in the last leg of his career I believe, his foot seems 100% healed, and he is the definition of what this team is all about, I think he was one of the first players BB hug on the field after the SB win, so why not making him a Patriot for life? Extending him now could give some cap relief for this year (not that we need) and securing his services for like another 3 years. The cap is going crazy every year and he is a fantastic player, if he tests the market next year its not crazy to think someone would pay him 10 Mi a year, and the Pats is not going to pay this for a WR.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I love Edelman, but to say he is a top 5 receiver in the league is crazy talk.

 

[SalemPats]

i love JE11, but i don't think he'll get 10M a year. At 31 next year, i could see him playing at a salary similar to what he is getting now

 

[Ring 6]

I love Edelman, but to say he is a top 5 receiver in the league is crazy talk.

I believe he was either #1 or #2 in receiving yards over the second half of 2016.
The question is do you rate the best over what you think they can do or what they actually do on the field?

 

[varjao]

I love Edelman, but to say he is a top 5 receiver in the league is crazy talk.

He makes plays week in week out, has 2 great SB performances on his resume and is in the top 3 in playoff receptions ever. One of the toughest covers in the league. Putting 1000 yards per season consistently since he had that break out year, its not too crazy. He doesnt have a lot of TDs because the Pats is not a team worried about stats, whom ever scores it's good, and that seems to be a pretty legit feeling between the players.

 

[BobDigital]

WRs usually get old fast past 30 but Edelman didn't take many hits early and with his work ethic he could keep it up a while longer. I would be happy to sign him to a longer deal. Even if he becomes more of a support player 2-3 years from now He could fill that dependable Troy Brown role for our offense.

 

[shmessy]

Definitely. Outside of Brady, he is the guts of that offense. Look what happened this year when they lost Gronk. Look what happened in 2015 when they lost Edelman. Big difference.

He is much more than just a WR. He is a RB/KR/PR and can fill in at slot CB.

The guy is a FOOTBALL PLAYER and knows the system better than anyone not named Brady.

Bring down his cap number this year and lock him up for 3 more years - then see where he is at at 33. I'm not worried about this guy for the next 3 years.

.

 

[bormio]

I do think Edelman may have 3 good years or more left - he did not take a huge number of hits early. Also does not rely on straight line speed. That said, I think NE will make him an offer in the range of where he is and will guarantee a good bit. He will leave money on the table, but if Brady is here, JE is not going anywhere.

 

[voluntarysaftey]

As a 31yo free agent, Edelman will get 2-3 years at 4-5 million per year.

There's no reason to extend him now.

 

[RobertWeathers]

As a 31yo free agent, Edelman will get 2-3 years at 4-5 million per year.

There's no reason to extend him now.

Exactly. Let's keep emotions out of it.

 

[BTTA]

I am torn about this. Want him to get some good money this year and next, because he's outplayed what he's made in the past couple of years. I'm not worried about him leaving, because he won't get offered enough elsewhere to make it worth his while.

On the other hand, I also want him to have a brain that functions past age 50, and I've witnessed too many skull shakers with him. I appreciated the guy enough to be willing to forego more contributions from him on the football field to know that he'll have a life off of it.

There's no way to know, unless you are his neurologist or neuropsychologist.

 

[Nehalem]

Like Edelman, but I don't think its in the Pats interests to extend him at this point. They don't have any need to push for cap space. And he will be 31 for the 2017 season. Doubt there is a great deal of interest from other teams for him when he will be 32 for the 2018. See what happened to Welker.

If he continues to play at a high level the Patriots should be able to sign him to a fair contract during the 2018 offseason.

 

[BTTA]

Exactly. Let's keep emotions out of it.

That's not possible. Emotions are the source of all human choices and decisions.

You might be saying that you want to try to keep sentiment out of it (which of course is also driven by an emotion).

 

[bormio]

I love Edelman, but to say he is a top 5 receiver in the league is crazy talk.

Over his last 11 games, he averaged right at 100 YPG, a 1600 yard per year pace. That is elite without a doubt. It is fair to say he was heavily targeted. But he also upped his YPC substantially and was over 15 YPC for the playoffs.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Over his last 11 games, he averaged right at 100 YPG, a 1600 yard per year pace. That is elite without a doubt. It is fair to say he was heavily targeted. But he also upped his YPC substantially and was over 15 YPC for the playoffs.

Sure but he's not getting Holmes money.

I can see the NEP giving him a deal w heavy playing and performance incentives next year.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I believe he was either #1 or #2 in receiving yards over the second half of 2016.
The question is do you rate the best over what you think they can do or what they actually do on the field?

He makes plays week in week out, has 2 great SB performances on his resume and is in the top 3 in playoff receptions ever. One of the toughest covers in the league. Putting 1000 yards per season consistently since he had that break out year, its not too crazy. He doesnt have a lot of TDs because the Pats is not a team worried about stats, whom ever scores it's good, and that seems to be a pretty legit feeling between the players.

Over his last 11 games, he averaged right at 100 YPG, a 1600 yard per year pace. That is elite without a doubt. It is fair to say he was heavily targeted. But he also upped his YPC substantially and was over 15 YPC for the playoffs.

I am not saying he isn't a great wide receiver; I'm saying he is not a top-5 receiver. As I said, I love the guy and think he's a great fit here, and I think he is overall underrated. I'll give you my reasons why he is not a top-5 receiver and why the market would agree, not even getting into his age:

1. He doesn't have the same type of deep play threat as other elite wide receivers who also have the same quickness (think, DeAndre Hopkins, TY Hilton, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones.) He doesn't have the straight line speed and body positioning strength to be a real downfield threat. And yes, those four guys I mentioned could successfully run the same types of routes as Edelman and often do.

2. Biggest reason is that he isn't a big red zone threat, and the Patriots have often struggled in the red zone without having a real dual-threat tight end. The guys I mentioned above, along with a lot of other receivers, have the size to win jump balls or gain boxing out body position to score touchdowns near the goal line. This isn't to say Edelman should come off the field in the red zone, but the type of routes where he excels requires a big field with separation, whereas a shrunken field without much space makes it difficult for him (and most receivers of his size) to be effective at an elite level.

3. I'm not saying he is a "system" player, but Tom Brady makes every player around him better. Even if you could make the difficult argument that Edelman is a top-5 receiver, in terms of what he actually produces, how many guys in the NFL could do the same if they had Brady as their QB and had that many targets and plays designed for them to get favorable matchups?

4. Look, not trying to knock an all-time Patriots legend, but let's say that you made every wide receiver in the NFL a free agent tomorrow. Do you really believe Edelman's contract is among the top 5 out of all the receivers in the game? If you do, I think you are badly mistaken.

 

[bormio]

I am not saying he isn't a great wide receiver; I'm saying he is not a top-5 receiver. As I said, I love the guy and think he's a great fit here, and I think he is overall underrated. I'll give you my reasons why he is not a top-5 receiver and why the market would agree, not even getting into his age:

1. He doesn't have the same type of deep play threat as other elite wide receivers who also have the same quickness (think, DeAndre Hopkins, TY Hilton, Antonio Brown, Julio Jones.) He doesn't have the straight line speed and body positioning strength to be a real downfield threat. And yes, those four guys I mentioned could successfully run the same types of routes as Edelman and often do.

2. Biggest reason is that he isn't a big red zone threat, and the Patriots have often struggled in the red zone without having a real dual-threat tight end. The guys I mentioned above, along with a lot of other receivers, have the size to win jump balls or gain boxing out body position to score touchdowns near the goal line. This isn't to say Edelman should come off the field in the red zone, but the type of routes where he excels requires a big field with separation, whereas a shrunken field without much space makes it difficult for him (and most receivers of his size) to be effective at an elite level.

3. I'm not saying he is a "system" player, but Tom Brady makes every player around him better. Even if you could make the difficult argument that Edelman is a top-5 receiver, in terms of what he actually produces, how many guys in the NFL could do the same if they had Brady as their QB and had that many targets and plays designed for them to get favorable matchups?

4. Look, not trying to knock an all-time Patriots legend, but let's say that you made every wide receiver in the NFL a free agent tomorrow. Do you really believe Edelman's contract is among the top 5 out of all the receivers in the game? If you do, I think you are badly mistaken.

If Edelman was 4 years younger and teams thought they had a chance (of prying him away from Brady) he would be getting big money - similar to Jordy Nelson (and I do not know his deal). There is a limit though on the market for white WRs. No white WR is getting Brown-type $.

 

[chasa]

I hope JE11 is a patriot for life but lets look at this realistically

1.) Hes on the wrong side of 30. in his prime BB valued him at less then $5mil a year, I don't see that number going up.

2.)The patriots have shown they are willing to start over at that slot position. they did it seamlessly with Je11/Welker, they will probably bring someone in to start transitioning too after next year.

3.) JE11 has two rings, a model gf, and a child now. if he doesn't get a contract he thinks is worth his value, he could retire early.

 

[bormio]

JE's route tree is more complete than any WR in the league. And on 3rd and 8 he may be the very best in the league - and that is the money down. Sure other WRs can run JE's primary routes, very few if any do it as well.

 

[varjao]

JE11 is as important to Brady (if not more) than AB is for Big Ben, Hopkins is for Houston offense, Nelson is Rodgers. OK Beckham Jr, Julio Jones, the guy that plays for the Bengals, these guys are in a different league, but not counting fancy names, draft status and only looking in terms of being functional to the offense, I think Brady if he could choose any name JE would be in his top 5 choices.

But yeah, maybe the market will not overpay for his services, anyway is a name under the radar in all speculations about the future and retaining players from this current SB run.