Getty Julian Edelman takes the field for the Patriots in 2019.
The Detroit Lions have some improved depth on their roster, a sign that the team is in much better shape overall heading toward the 2022 season.
One spot that has seen the most depth get boosted is at wide receiver. The Lions have added names like DJ Chark and Jameson Williams, but they are also counting on a standout from 2021 in Amon-Ra St. Brown to keep developing.
That could be a lock to happen if former Super Bowl champion wideout Julian Edelman is to be believed. Recently during a Reddit Q&A segment, Edelman was asked his most underrated wideout.
The answer? St. Brown.
As shown on Twitter from user LionsRoyalty, Edelman has a high opinion of Detroit’s rising second-year pass catcher.
Edelman would know what it’s like to be underrated. After all, he was a player who had to earn his role in the league with New England. Once he did, he was able to stick and make a huge difference on the field.
As a whole, Edelman would finish with 3 Super Bowl titles, a Super Bowl MVP award, 6,822 receiving yards and 36 touchdowns. He was speedy, and a similar player to what the Lions hope St. Brown can be.
The fact that he sees St. Brown and is impressed with him is big news ahead of this season. The Lions need St. Brown to become elite, and he can continue to develop in big ways for the team.
Perhaps St. Brown can even get to the point where he is just a star and doesn’t have to be underrated.
Lions Optimistic St. Brown Will Have Great Year
While a sophomore slump can be a reality, the Lions hope that St. Brown already endured enough peaks and valleys in 2021. Speaking to the media before practice on Friday, July 29, Dan Campbell addressed where St. Brown is at now and seemed encouraged.
“I do see continued growth”
“Everybody grows at a different rate, right? I would say the jump he made, we were fortunate that it happened as soon as it happened. I think ultimately, that’s kind of what you’re looking for. Amon-Ra hit his jump by the end of the year. Usually that doesn’t always happen. Usually it does take year one to year two before you get that kind of jump,” Campbell said.
Campbell cautioned that the production may not be as extreme, but that doesn’t necessarily mean St. Brown is struggling, either.
“It may not be as big, but it’s already transpired toward the end of last year. I do see continued growth,” Campbell said. “Now, I can’t put that in production either as far as ‘hey man, he’s going to get 10 catches every game.’ I think the hope is that we got enough weapons and enough arsenal here that we’re able to spread this around and the production gets spread out even. It could be a game, it could be every game.”
With this in mind, expect to see St. Brown making some big plays on the field once again this season.
St. Brown’s Finish to 2021 Lends Hope
Why is St. Brown on the radar at this point? Due to the fact that the wideout played a big role on the field for the Lions in 2021.
At times, St. Brown was Detroit’s most consistent player down the stretch. He became a favorite target of Jared Goff and exploded by the time the season was over with big plays and consistency for the team’s offense.
As a whole, St. Brown would finish with 90 receptions for 912 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also had numerous big plays on his ledger for the year as the highlights showed:
Watch St. Brown once again in 2022. It’s possible he might be the most underrated player in the NFL according to Edelman, who could be a pretty good judge of talent after his own prolific career.
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Former Super Bowl MVP Picks Lions WR as NFL’s ‘Most Underrated’