New England Patriots: One great Julian Edelman prediction for 2020
If you think no Tom Brady will limit the production of New England Patriots veteran receiver Julian Edelman, you clearly don’t know Julian Edelman.
Ranking just outside the NFL Network’s annual top 100 players of 2020 list, New England Patriots veteran wide receiver Julian Edelman is out to prove that he is still a big offensive threat in the league even without the services of Tom Brady.
Robin without Batman?
Scottie Pippen without Michael Jordan?
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Call it what you will, but the 34-year-old wide receiver is coming off his best year statistically and is highly motivated to prove to the league that he can succeed without his favorite person in the world, who just happens to be the greatest quarterback in NFL history.
Still, coming off a season in which he had 100 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns, the Super Bowl LIII MVP was considered to have had a down year due to the amount of drops he had. He also played most of those 16 games battling injury.
For those two reasons, ESPN recently projected that Julian Edelman will put together a bounce-back season, even with Tom Brady leaving the New England Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Here is what ESPN had to say about the 12-year veteran:
"“It always starts with health, and Edelman underwent shoulder and knee surgeries after the 2019 season,” Mike Reiss wrote for ESPN, via NESN. “So the 34-year-old go-to target is healthy again, albeit with plenty to miles on his football odometer. Something else that potentially might help Edelman: The offense might rely less on him because of a wider diversity of targets, which could direct the considerable attention opposing defenses often paid to him elsewhere.”"
That versatility of offensive playmakers, although with many question marks, is a big reason Julian Edelman will be a big factor in the New England Patriots offense.
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If Mohamed Sanu bounces back with a strong season, if N’Keal Harry breaks out as a big threat target, if the two rookie tight ends in Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene can be productive, if the running game becomes more of a factor, then the importance of Edelman’s role will turn to that more of a leader on the field who compliments the other playmakers.
Julian Edelman will thrive with Cam Newton in a New England Patriots uniform
And then there is Cam Newton.
While the 2015 NFL MVP still has a job to win as the New England Patriots quarterback, the duo of Newton and Julian Edelman has a very good chance to be special.
With both players having a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, the one great prediction for Julian Edelman in 2020 is that he will still catch over 80 balls and have close to 1,000 passing yards. The numbers will be less statistically, but Edelman will have more big plays and increase that 3.3 yards after the catch average he had in 2019.
His buddy Tom Brady is great, but Julian Edelman has never played with a quarterback with the physical talent and capability of a Cam Newton and he seems rather excited and motivated by it.
"“He’s a specimen, for sure,” Edelman said of Newton, via WEEI.com. “When you first meet him – just his stature, the dude is large, put together well and he has great energy. He has a great energy about himself. I was really impressed with his worth ethic and his mindset. Just like I have been impressed with [Jarrett] Stidham’s and [Brian] Hoyer’s. I have been throwing with those guys as well.”"
Being the team player Julian Edelman is, of course he had to mention his other two quarterbacks there, but c’mon, this is all about Cam Newton and an offensive weapon in Julian Edelman that he has also never had an opportunity of playing with.
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As they have been working out in the offseason, the energy these two will bring to the New England Patriots as a quarterback-wide receiver duo will be contagious both on the field and off the field.
A bounce-back season for Julian Edelman? That’s one prediction to take to the bank more because of the arrival of Cam Newton. It’s not often a Robin gets to play with a quicker, bigger and stronger Batman. Edelman has that chance.