Getty Rob Gronkowski (L) and Julian Edelman
The New England Patriots may be in the market for a wide receiver to help offset some injuries and a lack of proven performers.
While there should be some attention to waiver-wire possibilities like former Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver Tyler Johnson, Patriots Nation might also be happy to wrap their arms around the thought of Julian Edelman coming out of retirement to rejoin his former team.
In an interview with retired and former Patriots edge rusher Chris Long, Edelman indicated he is mulling a return on the former’s podcast, The Green Light.
This is the second time Edelman has recently talked about a comeback, but in speaking with Long, he gave more specifics about his preparation to gauge his readiness. According to Edelman, that’s what he’s “trying to figure out.” Here is the excerpt from the answer he gave to Long, per NESN’s Zack Cox:
Interesting response from Julian Edelman when @JOEL9ONE asked him about a potential comeback.
Said he’s been working out and his body feels “extremely better” than it did at the tail end of his career.
Basically, he’s not ruling it out.
Edelman has stressed that he didn’t miss the game last year, but after spending a season out of action, the 36-year-old has said he feels a lot better and believes he could potentially make another run.
Edelman’s Legacy is Secure
Edelman’s place in Patriots lore is secure, even if he doesn’t come back or elects to restart his NFL career with another team. The former seventh-round pick helped New England win three Super Bowls, and he was the MVP of Super Bowl LIII.
Edelman ranks fourth in team history in receiving yards, second in receptions (he’d need 53 catches to surpass Wes Welker), and ninth in TD catches.
Patriots Seem to Be in the Market for a WR
Per ESPN’s Mike Reiss, the Patriots hosted four free agents for workouts this week. Among them was former Chicago Bears WR Dazz Newsome.
The Patriots had DB Bubba Bolden (Miami), OT Derek Kerstetter (Texas), WR Dazz Newsome (North Carolina) and OT Tyrone Wheatley (Morgan State) in for free-agent workouts today.
The Patriots lost Kristian Wilkerson to a concussion suffered in a joint practice with the Carolina Panthers. WR/RB hybrid Ty Montgomery went down with an ankle injury in the last week in the preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Montgomery’s status is unknown, but neither player practiced on Monday when the Patriots returned to Foxborough. Kendrick Bourne has seemingly taken a step back after a breakout season in 2021. DeVante Parker looked stifled against the Raiders. Tre Nixon is likely a bubble candidate on roster cutdown day, and Nelson is likely a bubble candidate on roster cutdown day Agholor is still trying to find the consistency New England hoped he’d show last year.
That again leaves Jakobi Meyers as the team’s most dependable wide receiver. With all due respect to Meyers, most would regard him as a solid No. 3 guy on a team with an above-average wide receiver group.
Adding Edelman would be a major boost, if only for the name recognition. Adding Newsome wouldn’t have the same impact, but it would equate to an injection of speed and athleticism.
Newsome clocked a 4.38 40-time at the NFL Combine after a strong collegiate career at North Carolina but couldn’t find a home with the Bears. Newsome left Foxborough unsigned, but it’s still possible the Patriots could give him a call if another WR-hungry team doesn’t snatch him up.
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Retired Patriots Icon Mulls Return: ‘That’s What I’m Trying to Figure Out’