Getty Julian Edelman continues to be linked to the Bucs.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue to be linked to rumors of adding star power at receiver after the team’s very public breakup with Antonio Brown. During the Week 18 edition of Paramount+’s Inside the NFL, Julian Edelman was pressed by fellow co-hosts Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis about potentially joining his good friend Tom Brady in Tampa.
“I’m a one-team man,” Edelman responded. “I can’t leave my team here [at] Inside the NFL streaming on Paramount+ with you Ray [Lewis], you Mike [Irvin] and, of course, J.B. [James Brown].”
Edelman later conceded with a smile that he could have a change heart “for the right number.” Could the Bucs have “the right number” to coerce Edelman out of retirement?
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Bucs ‘Not at All’ Looking to Sign a New Receiver
Despite the splashy rumors, Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians shot down the notion that the team would be adding another receiver after releasing Brown. Arians noted the Bucs are “not at all” looking at free-agent wideouts.
“No, we have plenty of bodies and good players that have proven what they can do for us,” Arians explained on January 5, per Buccaneers.com. “No. Not at all.”
Brady has been known to use his influence to push the Buccaneers to add playmakers as we saw with Brown. Arians initially shot down those rumors during the 2020 offseason before the team opted to add Brown mid-season.
Edelman on Rooting for the Bucs: ‘I Wanna See Those Guys Do Well’
Edelman has not played since 2020 and even then the wideout only appeared in six games as he battles injuries. The former star receiver had 21 receptions for 315 yards and no touchdowns for the Patriots in the season without Brady. For now, the closest Edelman appears to be to joining the Buccaneers is as a fan. During a January 2021 interview on the Pardon My Take podcast, Edelman admitted he roots on his former teammates Brady and Rob Gronkowski in Tampa.
“I wanna see those guys do well,” Edelman said at the time, via TMZ. “It’s awesome seeing Gronk and Tommy doing well and playing and making big plays … it’s obviously, definitely weird, but it is what it is.”
Brady Tried to Recruit Edelman to the Bucs
From the NFL Draft-A-Thon 2021:
@TomBrady: “We know Julian didn’t retire. He’s just too scared to tell Bill he wants to come to Tampa. I’ve been there.”
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Edelman previously revealed that he did get a recruiting pitch from Brady after he initially signed with the Buccaneers. Brady did make one last recruiting pitch to Edelman during the 2021 NFL Draft-A-Thon last April.
“We know Julian didn’t retire,” Brady joked. “Let’s be honest. He’s just too scared to tell Bill [Belichick] he wanted to come to Tampa. I’ve been there.”
The Buccaneers’ decision not to sign a veteran means more opportunities for the team’s current receivers. Arians noted that Brady has trust in the wideouts that are on the roster.
“That’s what Tom does best,” Arians explained, via Buccaneers.com. “You start forcing it because of who’s out there – you have to trust who’s out there. He trusts the guys that are out there on the field.”