Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - This One’s For Jules: Julian Edelman Retires from the New England Patriots — 4/13/2021

Episode Date: April 13, 2021

It is the end of an era in Foxboro. Veteran wide receiver Julian Edelman has announced his retirement from the NFL, after 11 seasons in a New England Patriots uniform. Joining host Mike D’Abate is Steve Balestrieri of PatsFans.com. The duo reflect on Edelman’s legacy and career, address his potential candidacy for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and take an early look at how the Pats might look to fill the void left behind by his departure.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. You are now locked in to the Lockdown Patriots podcast. It is Tuesday, April 13th, 2021. And today, this pod is for Jules here on your daily home for news notes and analysis infused with the occasional opinion on your six-time Super Bowl champions, the New England Patriots. Greetings and salutations, Patriots Nation, and thank you for joining me here today on

this Tuesday episode of the pod. My name is Mike DeBate, your host of the Locked On Patriots podcast, which of course is a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, because it's your team every day, that means your questions, your comments, your feedback are always welcomed, very much encouraged. So share that feedback, send it to the internet by reaching out to me and following me on Twitter at MDABATEFPC.

And while you're out there doing some Tuesday traveling through that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. And while you're out there doing some Tuesday traveling through that Twitterverse, please be sure to follow the Locked On Patriots account as well at LO underscore Patriots. Pats fans, it's the end of an era, and this one's going to hurt for quite some time. The J-E-11 era came to an end in New England on Monday. Patriots veteran wide receiver and fan favorite Julian Edelman announcing his retirement from the NFL after 11 great seasons in a Patriots uniform. Clearly not the news that all of us in Patriots Nation wanted to hear, but if I'm being honest, the news wasn't all that shocking. After all, last week we heard reports from Karen Garigian of the Boston Herald that chronic knee injuries suffered by Julian might prevent him from playing a full

season in 2021. Yesterday afternoon, reports started to surface that the Patriots had indeed released Julian with the failed physical designation as indicated on the NFL's transaction wire. Of course, this sent Patriots Twitter into a firestorm, and most of us were thinking one of two things. First, Julian's going to retire, his knee and his body just can't take it any longer. Or he's getting his release because he's about to go down and join Tom and Rob in Tampa Bay. Well, shortly thereafter, Julian confirmed our first suspicion, announcing his retirement in a very emotional but very classy social media video. And I'm sure most of you have seen it by now.

I encourage you folks, if you haven't checked it out, definitely go check it out. but very classy social media video, and I'm sure most of you have seen it by now. I encourage you folks, if you haven't checked it out, definitely go check it out. You'll be able to find it on Julian's Twitter account, his Instagram page. He really does pay tribute to the Patriots, the fans, and you come away from watching it with a true appreciation of how much Julian Edelman loved the game of football. In Julian's own words, he says, quote, Nothing in my career has ever come easy and no surprise, this is not going to be easy either. I've always said I'll go until the wheels come off and they finally have fallen off. Due to an injury last year, I'll be making my official announcement

of my retirement from football. It was a hard decision, but the right decision for me and my family. And I'm honored and so proud to be retiring a Patriot. Folks, without question, all of us here in Patriots Nation are honored as well that Julian is retiring a Patriot. He finishes his career a three-time Super Bowl champion, MVP of Super Bowl 53, one of the best postseason receivers ever in the NFL, and, in my opinion, one of the most reliable and one of the toughest football players and competitors that I've ever covered. Not gonna lie, this one hurts. There always seemed to be a little extra excitement when I was covering a game

knowing that I was going to get a chance to watch Julian Edelman. Not just for the numbers that he puts up on the field, but to watch him motivate his teammates, to watch him be a mentor to so many of them on the sidelines, to watch him play without the ball in his hands, whether it be as a decoy on certain play calls, or throwing a key block that would help a wide receiver or a running back spring free for a quick score. He was an excellent punt returner. He even lined up on occasion at defensive back.

He really was the prototypical patriot. Anything Bill Belichick needed him to do, Julian Edelman would do it, and he'd do it to the best of his ability. More often than not, he would find success rather than failure. That's why I've thoroughly enjoyed watching Julian so much these last few years. I know that's probably why you've enjoyed watching him so much as well. So, in light of the recent news, and to help honor the legacy and career of Julian Edelman,

today here on the pod, we'll be sharing our favorite Julian Edelman memories. We'll also be discussing the latest social media flex about whether or not Julian is a Pro Football Hall of Famer. And, painful as it may be, we will be discussing the fact that life will continue here in Foxborough. Julian Edelman's absence will create a void on the field for the New England Patriots. Who steps up in that role? We'll be offering our thoughts on that as well. And I say we, because after all, it is Tuesday here on Locked On Patriots,

and that means a visit from our resident voice of reason, my good friend of Patriots Paisan, Steve Balistrieri. Steve and I talk all things Julian Edelman when this J-E-11 This One's for Jules episode of Locked On Patriots continues. But first, Locked On listeners, football games on the field might be over, but the NBA and the NHL are in full swing. When you want to put your prognostication skills to the test, there is only one place that has you covered and one place we trust.

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you. That's A-U-D-A-C-Y. Patriots fans, once again, today we embark on the end of an era here in Foxborough. Julian Edelman announces his retirement. A sad day in Patriots Nation, but today we celebrate the career of one of the toughest and most tenacious players ever to put on a New England uniform. And here today to provide his wisdom and counsel and to help us break it all down is our resident voice of reason here on Locked On Patriots. As always, one of the best, one of the most knowledgeable columnists that you'll find anywhere in Patriots media. You know his great work from Patsfans.com as well as being the co-host of two amazing podcasts, Patriots 4th and 2, and One Patriots Place. He is my Patriots Paisan, and despite what he'll tell you folks,

worthy of all the praise he gets, and so much more. Steve Balistrieri joins me here today. Welcome back to Locked On Patriots, my friend. Oh, it's always a pleasure, my friend. And yeah, it's kind of a sad day today, but, you know, we kind of knew this day was coming. Yeah, unfortunately, you're right, bud. It was one of those moments where you wished it wouldn't happen. You were hoping it wouldn't happen, but eventually, you know, it would happen. And, you know, Bud, we say it every week. There's never a dull moment here in Foxborough.

But, you know, lately, especially within the last couple of years, it just seems like there's never a non-emotional moment here in Foxborough. Just a lot of tugging at the heartstrings lately. First with Tom, Rob before that, now Julian announcing his retirement. And, Buddy, this is one of those moments that just really affects the fan base deeply. So many great memories of Julian are being shared, started yesterday, into today. And Steve, I think it's a good place to start there because you and I have covered Julian here in New England. You've covered him a little longer than I have, but whether it's from a fan perspective or viewing this through a media lens, we've watched Julian Edelman emerge from a converted college quarterback, first at the College of San Mateo, then he moves over to Kent State University.

We've really seen a Julian Edelman metamorphosis, so to speak, into one of the most reliable receivers of his generation. As much fun as he was to watch on the field, and he was, you admire his toughness, you admire the perseverance, but eventually you had to think that the injuries were going to catch up to him, and apparently that's exactly what happened here. In Julian's own words from his video yesterday, I'll go until the wheels come off and they've finally fallen off. And even as late as last week, we heard Karen Garigian of the Boston Herald reporting that Julian's chronic knee problems might prevent him from playing a full season in 2021.

Now we know that it eventually forced him to hang up the cleats. So, Steve, what was your reaction to Julian's announcement? And even knowing that this had been a possibility for a while now, did it still surprise you? No, not really. I really didn't expect he was going to play this year. And, you know, we know that his heart was there and he was going to try. But we all knew that that knee was, you know, like Tom, I think it was Tom Curran was the one that told us at,

I think it was November or December last season, that his situation was bone on bone. And when you have bone on bone, it's just a matter of time because your body's not going to allow you to do the things that you're used to doing on the football field. So it really wasn't a surprise at all. But Edelman went out the way he came in with the great quotes and thanking that the people of uh new england and you know he said

he's now one of us and i i think that was a perfect way to go out and i absolutely loved Bill Belichick's quotes on Julian. 100% agreed. I thought a great statement by Bill Belichick calling Julian, quote, the ultimate competitor, saying it was a privilege to coach him. You really, after reading the statement, you felt the amount of admiration, the amount of appreciation that Bill Belichick had for a guy like Julian Edelman who gave him everything he had every time he stepped on the field. As a coach, how can you not admire that?

We've both sat there covering practices at Gillette Stadium, watching Julian walk out to the field knowing he was hurt, knowing he was hurt pretty bad at times as well. In 2019, facing a chest injury, a shoulder injury, a knee injury, any one of those injuries would have kept a lesser competitor off the field. Julian just put his head down, laced up his cleats, went out there, and tried to produce as best he possibly could on the field. And that toughness, that dedication, that's not very easily replicated. So Julian does leave behind some big shoes to fill, and folks, we are going to talk about

how the Patriots might fill those shoes in just a little bit. But first, my friend, I thought we'd get in on the action a little bit as well. Everybody's talking about their favorite Julian Edelman moments, their lasting memories. Steve, in the time that you covered Julian and watched his career, what are your favorite Julian Edelman moments, both as a member of the media and even as a fan? Well, I mean, we've all seen, you know, the touchdown against the Seahawks that won the game, that incredible catch against the Atlanta Falcons,

also in the Super Bowl. But, you know, the one thing, whenever I think of Julian, I always go back to that training camp 2014 when Darrell Revis was here. And I think back of how those two brought out the best of each other in practice. You know, because, you know, these guys are – they're professionals. They know they're not going to go full tilt on every play in practice in training camp because they know that their role is there.

But whenever Revis was on a one-on-one drill, Edelman would run to the front of the line. He was going to go up against Edelman and the opposite. Whenever Edelman came to the front, Revis bumped whoever was there. No, no, no. I'm going against them. And you could see the respect that those two had for each other. And I remember watching that all through training camp. And you could see the respect that those two had for each other. And I remember watching that all through training camp. And it was such a joy to watch two of the very best at what they do going at each other constantly day after day, like it was a Super Bowl. And I always think back of that because that was a couple of,

that was a great few weeks watching those two. And then you just watch them like your, everything else disappeared. And of course, Tom Brady loved it because Brady is very competitive in his own way. But then I, you know, I think back of when Edelman was hurt before that, in 2012, he hurt his foot. And I remember the Patriots had offered him a two-year deal, and then they pulled it back and only offered him a one-year deal.

And Edelman wrote in his book, Relentless, that he was feeling really upset with it. And he was ready to move on to the Giants. And then his father, because he was saying, they don't want me, they don't need me, I'm going where I want. And his father called him to quit sniveling and said, you know, go out there and, you know, you make bad decisions when you're angry, which, you know, I think back of our godfather quotes, never hate your enemies, it affects your judgment.

And there, you know, right there is like the Julian Edelman. He thought about it. He knew New England was the right place for him. He came back, caught 100 passes the next year. Yeah, for certain. And I think that speaks to that quote-unquote proverbial chip that Julian had on his shoulder really throughout his career. Even Tom Brady alluded to it in his tribute statement last night. For a large part of Julian's career, he felt

underappreciated, maybe a little undervalued, maybe a little underrated. But instead of sulking about it, he went out there and used it as motivation. He said to everyone, look, you don't believe in me. I'm going to prove to you why you should. And that includes the Patriots. I thought it was really interesting that you mentioned him possibly leaving for the Giants and the Patriots pulling back the contract, Julian feeling disrespected by that, and then heeding the words of his father and saying, you know what? I'm not going to cry about this.

I'm going to go out there and I'm going to prove to everyone that I belong on the field and that I belong here in Foxborough. And if I'm being honest, Steve, those are my favorite Julian Edelman moments. The ones where he looked at a seemingly insurmountable problem and said, I'm going to take it on and I'm going to conquer it. I think a Super Bowl 51. And naturally, everyone is going to think about the big catch, that catch that set up the comeback.

And it was a phenomenal catch. He deserves all the credit in the world that he gets for that. But my favorite memory of that night is hearing Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels tell the story about the Patriots being in the locker room. Pats are down 21-3. No one thought they were coming back in that game. It had never been done before. Julian Edelman's walking around the locker room saying, we're going to win this thing.

We're going to go out there, and we're going to take this home home and it's going to make a hell of a story. And then it actually starts to happen on the field. The comeback starts to take place and Julian's sitting there. He's talking to Tom and he's going, let's win this thing. Let's win this for your mom, which really, I think, showed the respect and the love that these two had for one another as friends, as teammates. But again, Julian is forever the optimist. He felt that if there was a fight to be fought, he was going to fight that fight. He was not going to quit. He believed it could happen. And the best part of this is, Steve, is that he actually convinced all of his teammates

and made them believe that it could happen. And Julian did that on a number of occasions. It wasn't just in Super Bowl 51, folks. Julian did this continuously. Ask anybody that ever played alongside him, and they'll tell you that he was one of the most tenacious teammates and one of the best motivators that any of these guys ever played with. Steve, your wisdom, your reason, we always bring us back to a level-headed place here on Tuesdays. When people retire,

especially someone who's as beloved in the fan base as Julian Edelman is, you have a tendency to maybe go a little bit above and beyond, but you always bring us back to a grounded place. And that's why we love having you here, buddy. But folks, we're not done yet, because in just a moment, Steve Balistrieri and I will offer our thoughts on what seems to be the social media flex of the day. Is Julian Edelman a pro football Hall of Famer?

A surefire Patriots Hall of Famer, no doubt about that. But is he in line for a gold jacket in Canton? To me, I think the more appropriate question to be asking today is, does it really matter? But we'll tackle that one in just a moment. Also, Julian's retirement does leave a void at wide receiver for your New England Patriots. Who is ready to fill those shoes? Find out when the Locked On Patriots podcast continues.

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taking a look back at the career and the legacy of now former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman. Yeah, I know, it just doesn't sound right saying that, but unfortunately it is true. Steve, we've shared our thoughts on Julian's retirement, some of our favorite Julian Edelman memories, kind of joining the fray here amongst social media and Patriots Nation, all paying tribute to a wide receiver and a player that's meant so much to this organization, so much to this fan base. But I have been a bit disheartened by the fact that Julian's retirement seems to have opened the floodgates to these amateur statisticians with blue check marks out there and a lot of fan bases throughout the NFL that seem to want to use this as an opportunity to maybe attack a little

bit or poke holes in Julian's career. I like to think of it as being opportunistic and seizing the opportunity to say that Julian Edelman is not a pro football Hall of Famer. Look, if I'm being honest, I think the argument can be made either way. I don't have a problem with the argument, but I do have a problem with the timing. Again, I think it's a rush to judgment. If you're not a fan of Julian Edelman, this is the perfect opportunity for people to take their shots at him. You're seeing a lot of it out there.

And I'm not just talking about fan bases. Again, I'm talking about respected members of the media. People seemingly taking great delight in listing all of these wide receivers that have better career numbers than Julian Edelman, who deserve a Hall of Fame spot more than he does. In my opinion, my friend, I don't think Julian Edelman has anything left to prove when it comes to his legacy, and I'll get into why I feel that way in a moment, but let's talk about pure statistics, because that seems to be the argument against putting Julian in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I'm being honest, his regular season numbers don't exactly make a strong

case. 620 regular season catches, 6,822 yards receiving, 36 touchdowns. But where Julian shines above the rest is his postseason numbers. And it surprises me that so many people are so quick to dismiss these. In the postseason, Julian has 118 receptions, 1,442 yards, five touchdowns, all in the playoffs. That puts Julian second on the league's all-time list behind only hall of famer Jerry Rice who has 151 receptions 2245 yards that's rarefied air that's amazing company when you can say that your only competition at that level is Jerry Rice so people can debate stats all they want to but the bottom line is I don't believe there was ever a better postseason wide receiver

than Julian Edelman. Is that enough to get him into Canton someday? That may be a conversation for another day. If you're asking me to predict, I'd probably say it's unlikely, but I think the case at least deserves to be made. Steve, you take a level-headed approach. Were you a bit surprised by the reaction by some to Julian's retirement, essentially using it as an

opportunity to take shots at his Hall of Fame candidacy? And at the end of the day, bud, do you believe that Julian Edelman is a pro football Hall of Famer? Yeah, I knew people were going to rush to judgment on that, and it's the wrong time for that. You know, it is the wrong time. It's too soon. Let's just celebrate the man for what he did, for what he stood for, you know, as a member of the Patriots. And, you know that's the first thing everyone points to oh well look at his regular season numbers well I'm gonna I'm gonna read you some numbers of a player and he caught 336 passes in his career 5,462 yards but 51s. And he's in the Hall of Fame. And that player is Lynn Swan. And I remember when Lynn Swan was, you know,

inducted into the Hall of Fame, there was the same talk about, well, he didn't have any regular season numbers. But he had, you know, the postseason resume. He was on those Super Bowl champions, and he played such a big role, He had, you know, the postseason resume. He was on those Super Bowl champions, and he played such a big role, and he had huge numbers in the postseason. Let me read you. I'm going to compare the two because I think this makes a case for Julian.

Swan played in 16 postseason games. He caught 48 passes for 907 yards and nine touchdowns. Edelman played in 19 games, had caught 118 passes for 1,442 yards and five touchdowns. Now, if Lin Suan got in because of his postseason resume, then I find it hard to believe that you can't put Julian Edelman in that same conversation. Now, if you're asking me, is he going to get in? No, he's not.

Because I hate to say it, they don't get the accolades that some of the other guys do. And, you know, he's not considered fast. He was quick, very quick off, he's not considered fast. He was quick, very quick off the line, but not fast. So Edelman has been dealing with that his entire career. But, in fact, when you look at every big game the Patriots are in, who was Tom Brady's go-to guy? It was Julian Edelman.

He went to five Super Bowls being a very large part of their offense. And I think it's disingenuous of people that want to discount his regular season numbers. When you know a guy like Lynn Swans in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I think he definitely deserves consideration, but I don't think he's going to make it in. Honestly, when it comes to the Patriots Hall of Fame, if I'm Robert Kraft, a guy like Julian Edelman, and a guy like Tom Brady, I'd just waive the five-year rule. We know it's a no-brainer. Just this summer, just put him in. I say just put him in because there's no sense in waiting.

I'd support that. I think Julian deserves it. I do think they'll do that for Tom. Not sure about Rob, but I think he definitely deserves consideration in that regard as well. There are certain players that do deserve that type of reverence. So whether the Patriots will do it or not,

that really is up to the committee. That's up to the Kraft family. That's up to the Patriots all. They or not, that really is up to the committee. That's up to the Kraft family. That's up to the Patriots Hall. They'll eventually make that call. But regardless of what, he is a surefire Patriots Hall of Famer. With regard to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, that's an interesting point that you bring up about Lin Suan. I hadn't thought of him as a comparison, but there really are a lot of similarities when you talk about the regular season numbers, the postseason accomplishments. Who knows? Maybe that does convince some of the writers, some of the committee members to vote Julian into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. I hope this comes out the way I intended to, Steve.

But honestly, it really doesn't matter to me whether or not he gets into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. My view of Julian Edelman will not change whether he's a Pro Football Hall of Famer or whether he's not. To me, that's not what defines Julian Edelman will not change whether he's a pro football hall of famer or whether he's not. To me, that's not what defines Julian Edelman's legacy. What defines his legacy, in my opinion, is his tenacity, his perseverance, his leadership. Whether he's defying the odds out there to become one of the more reliable pass catchers in NFL history or playing through the pain of the numerous injuries we talked about in the previous segment, Edelman always remained, sorry for the pun here

folks, but he remained relentless in the pursuit of his goals. That to me is my lasting memory of Julian Edelman. If it's enough to get him into the Hall of Fame someday, I would love to see it because Julian will always remain a favorite of mine in terms of players I've covered for the Patriots here in New England. I've yet to encounter a tougher competitor during my time covering the NFL. So on a personal note, I'd love to see him get the recognition he deserves. But again, folks, in the event he's not enshrined in Canton,

it shouldn't change your opinion on Julian Edelman either way. A true warrior, a true competitor, and a class act in every sense of the word. Steve, we've shared a good amount of Julian Edelman memories. We've talked a little bit about his legacy. It's a Julian Edelman tribute show here on Locked On Patriots today.

So you knew coming in this was going to be Julian Edelman-centric. But as painful as it might be for some of the fan base, life's going to go on here in Foxborough. And the Patriots do have a void at wide receiver to fill. Say what you will, I know Julian didn't see much time on the field in 2020. But when he was healthy, Julian was a key cog in this offense, and he was meant to be. Even last year, playing through the injuries, he set a career high of 179 yards receiving against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2 with Cam Newton as his quarterback.

So the Patriots are going to need someone to step up and fill that Julian Edelman void. I know a lot of the fan base out there is saying that Jacoby Myers might be ready. Jacoby is an excellent slot receiver, and I think he has the makings of being a very good receiver in this system. But I think people forget a lot of times that Julian did more than just the slot. This guy could play on the outside. He essentially did anything Bill Belichick needed him to do. So I have a lot of faith in Jacoby. I think he might be able to do it, but it's not a slam dunk. And that would leave the two new guys that the Patriots have on the roster right now.

Nelson Aguilar, he spent time in the slot, but I think he's going to be a primary outside weapon. You also have Kendrick Bourne. He could play in the slot. He's done so in San Francisco. I've seen people even mention Gunnar Ryszelski's name. Will they make that man a gunner? Sorry, folks. I know it's the offseason, but it will be back. Don't worry. The meme will be

back. But Steve, you get the point. The Patriots definitely need someone in that wide receiver core to step up and be the go-to guy. I think the Patriots are most likely to find that guy in the draft, but there's always the possibility Bill Belichick may want to dip into the free agent route as well. Steve, as you look at this depth chart the way it is right now, who steps up for the New England Patriots in 2021? Is that player on the roster right now, or are they going to go outside the organization for additional help for the 2021 receiving core? Yeah, that's a great question because I honestly, you know, looking at things through the prism that we were just a couple of weeks ago, I really wasn't counting on Edelman being there because, you know, we thought that his, unfortunately, his knee wasn't going to allow him to play. And although, you know, all the guys you mentioned that born and, and Aguilar, Jacoby Myers, they can all play in the slot. And I think, you know, they will to a degree, but the guy that they need that dedicated slot receiver, I don't think it's on the roster yet.

I think they're going to draft a guy to come in and fill that role. I think that they'll be able to, you know, move guys around and create some matchups here and there, but I don't think that guy's on the roster yet. I think they'll look to the draft and try to bring in a young guy and, and groom him to take that position. But he's got some big shoes to fill. And, you know, it's funny, you talked about Tom Brady earlier. One of my favorite moments was when Edelman ran back a punt against Denver

and Brady ran down into the end zone to congratulate him. And then afterwards, Edelman asked him, did you run down into the end zone? And Brady smiled at him and said, I had to come see my guy. And that tells you all you need to know about those two. Without question. I mean, nobody is going to question the relationship between Tom Brady and Julian Edelman, two guys that thought so much of each other professionally, personally. They still do.

They always will. And I'm glad that you mentioned that Edelman's value on the field is not just related to X's and O's. It's the relationship he builds with his teammates. It's the fact that players root for him to do well, and he roots for them to do well. That's such an unsung part of being a football player on the field. We talk about that in terms of locker room sense, but it really does more to build the character of a team to have a guy like that out on the field, rooting you on, cheering you on. It builds camaraderie, it builds motivation, and it really inspires you to give 110% on the field, even when maybe your body's only capable of giving you 90 or 95%. So a big important part of that. And yeah, I'm glad that you mentioned

Edelman and Brady because that definitely is something that we'll always remember when it comes to Julian but as for the members on the field I agree with you I think the Patriots are likely to look to the draft this is a very deep draft when it comes to slot receivers that can be versatile that can be weapons all over the field Am Amari Rogers from Clemson, to me, would look perfect in a Patriots uniform. We've talked about him as a potential fit. Rashard Bateman, wide receiver out of the University of Minnesota. I actually think Bateman's a little underrated when it comes to some of the draft prospects that you see.

Given that we know Julian is not going to be in New England this year, I really like Bateman's fit here a lot more because not only is he capable of being a strong slot receiver, he can track the football, he can win at the catch point, and in a lot of ways he can be a really strong threat and a vertical passing offense both in the slot and even on the outside. So the Patriots have some decisions to make, Bud, and the coming days and weeks they're going to make those decisions, whether it will be through the draft, whether Bill Belichick finds a veteran that he'd like to bring in, maybe via trade, maybe via small free agency signing.

But one thing is for sure, no one is ever going to be Julian Edelman here. Jules is one of a kind, and I know you'll join me in congratulating him on a remarkable career. Steve, what can I say? I always appreciate you lending your wisdom, your counsel, coming in here on a Tuesday. The resident voice of reason does his job once again, folks. And I am always honored and always thrilled to join him on the microphone. My friend, before I let you go, please let all of our listeners know where they can find

you on social media, where they can absorb your great work, and what we can look forward to in the not-so-distant future from the great pan and the great voice of Steve Balistrieri. Well, thanks for having me, as always. I appreciate it. But, you know, I'm going to be looking at writing something about Edelman over the weekend when things die down a little bit. I know everyone's rushing to write some stuff about him right now,

but I'm going to think about it. I always think back to that Cam Chancellor hit, and you talk about toughness. I don't think any of us thought he was getting off the ground that night. But, yeah, we're going to continue to look at the draft. Now, obviously, some slot-wide receivers will be looked at a little more closely. We might revisit some guys that we kind of passed over before. And then, you know, we're looking forward to the draft. And I know a lot of people still have their heart set on one of these first

tier quarterbacks, but I'm not so sure we're going to see one and we're going to be writing about that as well absolutely i think in a lot of ways the patriots know which direction they're headed in i'm sure of that maybe we all don't know what direction they're headed in yet but it might be a different direction than a lot of people are thinking and you know expect the unexpected when it comes to uh bill belichick and the New England Patriots, at least from a media perspective, because our good friend Alex Barth once told me he thinks Bill Belichick is predictably unpredictable. And I think that may be the best way to describe the hoodie. And we'll continue to find out why in the coming days and weeks leading up to the draft.

But all kidding aside today, Bud, thank you so much for coming on today on this Julian Edelman Tribute episode. Until next week, stay safe, stay well, and we look forward to talking ball with you again right here on Locked on Patriots next Tuesday. Just like that, Patriots Nation, we're almost halfway through your work week,

but fear not, because our coverage of your New England Patriots here on the pod is only just beginning. So, to ensure that you do not miss a single second of the action, follow the Locked On Patriots podcast on platforms such as the Odyssey app, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts,

just make sure that you are staying locked in to Locked On Patriots. Once again, my name is Mike DeBate. I thank my good friend Steve Balistrieri for his time, his insight, and his appearance on today's pod. But most of all, I thank you so much for listening and for continuing to make Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage. Until tomorrow, Pats Nation, stay safe, stay well, continue to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone.