From Brady's trusted receiver to being a mentor in the squad, Julian Edelman is still the Patriots' go-to man
It's funny how so much of the conversation in the NFL revolves around Tom Brady even if he's not part of the New England Patriots anymore. His influence in the squad is a topic of discussion till day and veteran wide receiver Julian Edelman is doing to Patriots what Brady is doing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — playing and taking up the role of mentoring the young blood in the side.
That Edelman was Brady's go-to receiver was not surprising. The 34-year-old is now Cam Newton's man in the first two games the Patriots played. He's totaled 236 receiving yards that also saw him notch up a 179 career-high despite the team's loss. However, more than the records, Edelman is keen to take on the responsibility of being a mentor to the Patriots.
"When you have a good routine — and I learned that from a lot of veteran players, that adjusts according to position — but if you put together a routine, find out what you have to do, work hard at those things and try to improve, that’s usually when you improve,” he said, according to the Eagle Times. Edelman is also taking a closer look at their WR N'Keal Harry imparting wisdom that would help their last season's pick better his performance.
In a video conference, Edelman spoke about sharing little things that helped him when he was at his early stages in his career. “We’ve all been young in the locker room, we’ve all been new to an environment, and I don’t know anywhere else, but here it’s a little different, I guess. That’s what everyone says. You just try to give him little tidbits on things that make things more routine and comfortable for him. So that’s what I try do, lead by example, if I see something that could be better… if I see something or if he has a question, I could be the guy that he can ask a question to, so that’s what I try to do."
Even though Edelman is listed in the injury report with a knee injury, he may take the field on Sunday and Newton could help him achieve another rare feat of having another 100+ receiving yards against the Las Vegas Raiders. The last time he achieved the mark was with Brady.
"I love to compete and I love football — plain and simple. It’s better than being in a cubicle. I think it’s an unbelievable job,” Edelman said. “It’s something I’ve been doing since I was 8 years old. I’ve been around (the game) since I was in diapers." The Patriots sans Brady have still showed they are the team to beat. Newton and Edelman's chemistry will go a long way in their 2020 campaign.
Quick notes
Las Vegas Raiders vs New England Patriots
Kickoff: 1 pm ET
Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA
Watch: CBS
Listen: NFL Game Pass, Westwood One and Sirius XM
