Edelman

[buymycards]

Originally Posted by D. Bergin

Edelman is a nice, solid little player, but when I clicked on this thread I assumed it was going to be more about how so many Pats fans and others in the media seem all of a sudden be claiming that Edelman is a future HOF'er.

Almost as if it's a foregone conclusion.

Headscratching to say the least. I understand he's been on several teams that have won Super Bowls, and has performed well in the Playoffs, but when a guy like Isaac Bruce, with twice as many catches and 3 times as many yards, while playing in a less offensive friendly era, has problems getting in. I don't understand how Edelman has a chance, even if he has several more strong years left in him.

Maybe he's the Lynn Swann of our generation, and he gets in strictly because of his postseason exploits. I don't know.

At this point, he seems like a poor mans Wes Welker.......but with rings. Welker was pretty much done after his age 32 season, which Edelman is right now.

He needs to stay around a long time to get the numbers for the HOF. He has 499 receptions, which puts him in a tie for 148th all time. He has 5398 receiving yards, for 248th all time. 224th in yards per game. He is a solid player, and he benefits from having Brady and Belichek heavily involving him in the game plan. But HOF? I doubt it.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by buymycards

He needs to stay around a long time to get the numbers for the HOF. He has 499 receptions, which puts him in a tie for 148th all time. He has 5398 receiving yards, for 248th all time. 224th in yards per game. He is a solid player, and he benefits from having Brady and Belichek heavily involving him in the game plan. But HOF? I doubt it.

And that's part of the puzzle. What would he do on a team where he was the primary receiver instead of in a system where someone else will get more looks if the matchup is better. How open does he get if teams aren't double teaming Gronk?

Or, on another team does he take one too many passes over the middle into big hits because everyone knows where the ball is going and instead of having a good season after recovering from a knee injury, it's a couple knee injuries and a handful of concussions and he's out of the league after 5 years?


A lot of Patriots recievers don't put up amazing numbers, but might do well on other teams. Of course Moss was horrible in Oakland playing for a team that just wasn't good.


How to rate a solid player in a system that isn't geared towards making stars? I'm not sure that's answerable as far as the HOF goes.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Moss had head case seasons, but he was supremely talented, IMO other than Rice as good as anyone to ever play that position. Not just phenomenal athletic ability, but an uncanny ability to get effortlessly to the open space. Small possession receivers like Edelman and Welker before him are doubtless valuable, but I wouldn't put them in the category of game-breaking deep threats like Moss, Isaac Bruce who was mentioned previously, etc. As Steve mentioned, they also need the right team to thrive.

[egri]

Originally Posted by steve B

A lot of Patriots recievers don't put up amazing numbers, but might do well on other teams. Of course Moss was horrible in Oakland playing for a team that just wasn't good.

Moss was a star in Minnesota before he went to Oakland. His time with the Raiders was an aberration, not his time with New England.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by egri

Moss was a star in Minnesota before he went to Oakland. His time with the Raiders was an aberration, not his time with New England.

That's true, but there was some talk that he was on his way out. Which he obviously proved wrong.


When they traded for him, I thought they should have gone for Owens instead.

I'd seen a play during the last season a Minnesota where it was very late, team needed maybe 10 yards to try a field goal. The Play wasn't to Moss, but he was supposed to draw a defender or two away from midfield. He ran the worst route ever, so bad the second defender abandoned him and headed to midfield where he broke up the play. Bad like instead of going out about 1 and cutting on a slant or going downfield, he went out about 5 at half speed and made a big curving turn to the sideline. It probably cost them the game.

Didn't see any of that here. A lot of people were mad at him for saying mid season that he wanted to stay but wouldn't be around because the team wouldn't pay him. He was right, after the seasons he'd had a big payday was on the way, and the Pats weren't going to pay it, he knew he was getting traded all along as did anyone paying attention.