There is no denying the fact that the New England Patriots are undergoing an overhaul offensively. With Tom Brady gone, it’s time to see what the younger players can do. Now in his second year in the New England offense, quarterback Jarrett Stidham is entering uncharted territory as he looks to enter a quarterback competition that he could win.
One of the Patriots that could help him along the way is wide receiver Julian Edelman. Drafted by New England in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Edelman has been through it all and seen it all with New England. Now, he could have a unique role in mentoring Stidham.
“It’s been really good (working with Edelman this summer),” Stidham said during a videoconference call. “Jules is a great guy, a great player obviously. He has a lot of experience. Being able to talk to him about things that maybe he’s seen throughout the years with quarterbacks or just his position. It’s been really great. Just really trying to continue to build that relationship and also build relationships with all the other teammates that are in the locker room and continue to build those as much as we can.”
When you look at how the New England offense is constructed, there are not a ton of veterans pass-catchers. There’s Edelman, Mohamed Sanu and that’s about it. When you consider what Edelman has been through, he could be hugely influential for Stidham. Just take a look at his playoff resume. From his touchdown pass to Danny Amendola against the Ravens in 2015, to his touchdown catch that put New England up 28-24 against Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX, he has done it all.
I would be remised if I did not talk about the fingertip catch he made against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. With 2:28 left in the game, that kept the drive alive for New England, and led to James White’s game-winning touchdown run.
In total, he has caught 118 passes for 1,442 yards and five touchdowns in the postseason so far.
This right here is where he could be hugely influential to Stidham. He has the postseason numbers and experience in coming in the clutch during tough situations. As Stidham alluded to in his press conference on Friday, Edelman has been taking him under his wing.
It will be interesting to see what the connection will be like between the two players. They have been working hard over the course of the offseason, and it could translate to success on the field. One thing is for certain: Julian Edelman will give his best effort each and every snap.
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