New England Patriots rumors: Cutting Julian Edelman actually makes sense

The 2020 season is long in the rearview mirror for Patriots fans. Now all eyes are focused on the NFL Draft and the 2021 campaign. New England will have some tough decisions to make.

The Patriots seem to be heading in a new direction. It is clear that they are not contenders and will not be winning the Super Bowl in the near future. New England needs to begin what could be a long rebuild.

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Pats fans should expect to see a decent amount of new faces in 2021. New England needs to get younger and that means getting rid of some veterans who have performed well for the organization in prior seasons.

Fans have already seen the continued rumors about Stephon Gilmore. Seeing Gilmore leave New England might be a tough pill for some to swallow, but it’s a necessary step in the Patriots trek to once again be a superior team in the NFL.

But who else could we see leaving New England? Has Julian Edelman played his last game as a Patriot?

Why cutting Julian Edelman actually makes sense for New England Patriots.

Now Patriots fans might already be upset but cutting Edelman would make a lot of sense. It once again would allow for the organization to begin its necessary rebuild.

Edelman is already 34 years old. That is ancient for a wideout (especially a slot receiver).

Fans also saw Edelman look like a completely different wideout in 2020. He was only able to muster up 21 catches for 315 yards in six games. It appears that time has caught up to Edelman.

Also if Edelman is cut from the roster it would open up even more cap space for the Patriots. New England would gain over $3 million in cap space.

Now the group of wideouts left over would be disappointing, to say the least. New England would have to truly rely on N’Keal Harry and Jakobi Meyers. That doesn’t exactly lend itself to a successful offense or a successful season.

But this is simply the price that the Patriots and their fans have to pay. This is what happens when you have unprecedented success. The dream has to end at some point.

These next few seasons won’t be fun. It’s highly likely that New England ends up as one of the worst teams in the NFL, but then again just a few seasons ago people were saying that about Tampa Bay.

The Patriots would be doing him a favor if they released him. He can join a winning team and even his buddies down in Florida if he wants.

So cutting Julian Edelman might seem like a drastic move, but it makes a lot of sense for New England. The organization would gain more cap space and help begin the necessary rebuild.

Sometimes the best decisions are the toughest ones. While releasing Edelman might seem harsh, it would ensure that the Patriots are a better team in the future. The only question is if the organization has the guts to make the right call.