New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman will continue to be motivated in 2019 as one of the team’s primary leaders on offense.
As long as there is a Julian Edelman, the New England Patriots offense will be just fine.
With no Rob Gronkowski, at least to start the 2019 NFL season, the importance of Edelman on the field will be more important than ever.
It is a lot of pressure to put on a 33-year-old slot receiver, but if anyone can rise up to that pressure it is Julian Edelman.
Besides, he is not just a slot receiver, he is a football player and a very dynamic one at that. Not only is he coming off a postseason that ended with him named as Super Bowl LIII MVP, Edelman passed Michael Irvin for second all-time in postseason receiving yards behind the great Jerry Rice.
While many wouldn’t put him in the same category as Rice, the impact Julian Edelman has on the football field is just as great. He has proven that. He will prove it again in 2019 as he will be as motivated as ever.
So, what should we expect from Edelman?
Expect him to turn that relentless passion for the game into leadership that helps young players on the team like Arizona State product N’Keal Harry.
Furthermore, he will help Tom Brady tremendously. But that is a given isn’t it?
Here are three bold predictions for the New England Patriots wide receiver in 2019.
Thumb injury will be a factor early
As tough and tenacious as Julian Edelman is, the thumb injury that has him on non-football injury list early in training camp will linger into the regular season.
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He should be fully ready to go once the 2019 NFL season gets underway for the New England Patriots, but when there is any broken bones in the hand, it can linger awhile and may effect Edelman mentally at first.
With the one knock on Julian Edelman being his knack for the occasional dropped ball, there will be a few of those in the first few weeks of the season that will drive fans nuts. But, how can you really be upset at a clutch player like the man who wrote a book with the main character being a squirrel.
Julian Edelman will get past the thumb injury eventually and be that security blanket Tom Brady will turn to over and over again in big moments.
Yes, Edelman is 33 years old, but as he proved throughout the playoffs and especially in Super Bowl LIII, when the game is on the line, there is no bruise or minor injury that is going to deter him from coming up big.
Again, the thumb (even if fully healed) will be a factor the first couple games. He’ll use that internal toughness to get past the early season dropsies and continue to be the uncoverable force that he is.
An 80-catch season
The only thing stopping Julian Edelman from catching more than 80 balls from Tom Brady in 2019 will be that thumb injury mentioned in the previous slide.
The Super Bowl LIII MVP caught 74 passes in just 12 games in 2018 and he really wasn’t himself until midway through the season.
Given the fact that Rob Gronkowski and Josh Gordon also shared the field, those were big time numbers for Edelman who was working his way back from a season-ending torn ACL.
Without Gronkowski, the importance of Edelman will be magnified in 2019. Eventually, 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry will emerge as another factor in the passing game. Until that happens, opposing defenses will have a tough time stopping the Brady-to-Edelman duo.
While 80 catches seem high for a player his age, Julian Edelman is not a typical player. Like his buddy Tom Brady, he seems to just get better with age. It is not just the physical part of his game that will have him competing at a high level, it is his knowledge of the game and ability to be at the right place at the right time.
In 2019, Edelman will show exactly why he was voted a top 100 player in the NFL.
Will secure himself as a Boston sports icon
Whether it’s at Fenway Park, a Boston Bruins game or kicking it with Boston Celtics players, Julian Edelman has become more than just a New England Patriots star, he has become a Boston Sports icon.
Following his performance in last year’s playoff run, Edelman secured himself as one of the most clutch players to have ever played in the city. That is saying a lot for a city known for championships and sports figures like Larry Bird, Bobby Orr, David Ortiz and Tom Brady.
Beyond what he can do on the field, Julian Edelman’s biggest contribution in 2019 won’t be the clutch third down passes or key touchdowns, it will be the influence he has on players like N’Keal Harry and Braxton Berrios if he were to make the team.
He will not only lead by example, he will be the motivational factor behind young players stepping up in big moments.
And of course, he will step up in big moments throughout the regular season and in the playoffs. If he hasn’t secure himself as a Boston sports icon already, 2019 will cement that as the New England Patriots will find another way to compete for another Super Bowl berth.