The Edelman Experiment
by Marima on Aug 5, 2009 2:08 PM EDT
in Training Camp
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Julian Edelman entered the 2009 Draft as a QB, came out drafted in the 7th round as a wide receiver, and now has punt and kick returner added to his list of potential duties. Special teams coach Scott O'Brien conceded that learning the different nuances of each position will take time and practice, but it's this positional flexibility that will most likely earn Edelman one of the coveted spots on the final 53-man roster.
Coach Belichick has always prized players who can play multiple positions and as Christopher Price noted, Edelman was being evaluated and groomed for his versatility right from his first pre-draft workout with the Patriots. "While his quarterbacking skills wouldn’t necessarily translate to the next level, the thought of using Edelman as a potential offensive chess piece appealed to the New England brass."
"When we worked him out there, we worked him out as a receiver," said Patriots coach Bill Belichick. "We worked him out as a quarterback. We worked him out as a running back and worked him out as a returner. We looked at all the different skills that we thought we could potentially work him at and that was part of his evaluation, as well as his actual playing at Kent State."
Not surprisingly, Edelman has spent camp time trailing alongside successful jack-of-all-trades Wes Welker and staying close during practice to get his advice and learn by his example. For Edelman's part, his extra work and determination has paid off with noticeable improvement already - more catches and less drops.
During the three training camps I've attended, Edelman has been active and involved with a high number of reps in both WR drills and special teams drills - fielding kicks and punts, and even my inexpert eyes have been able to see him getting better from one day to the next.
It's the idea of using Edelman as "an offensive chess piece" that intrigues me. I'm curious as to how the Patriots intend to use him and especially if they intend to use him beyond receiving and returning.
The national media mentions Edelman with regards to whatever Wildcat options the Patriots' offense might put together and has hinted that's why he was drafted, but he hasn't practiced in that capacity so far - at least not publicly. Personally, I'm still not sold on the Patriots going that route, utilizing Edelman in a pure Wildcat package (with slow, coming-back-from-knee-surgery Tom Brady lined up as a receiver, against guys who would just LOVE to be the next Bernard Pollard hero of the NFL? Come on!)
This morning's 2-minute drill work featured some goal line situations where the offense worked on two of it's plays of choice in short-yardage situations – direct snaps to the running back and a QB sneak. No Wildcat, although with ESPN's Adam Schefter, NFL's Mike Mayock and former Broncos' coach Mike Shanahan present, I'm not surprised.
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Quick Feet Edleman
This guy is definitly proving he is capable of impacting a football team in more ways than one. He has great football intelligence, awarness, and the all out ability to exceed his expectations in the league this year as well as the next three with the Patriots.
Good piece
Good discussion of Edelman. Could you really see him get a spot on the 53-man roster? We just have so many accomplished players, that I thought he would go on the practice squad at best.
I'm pretty sure he'll make the roster
It’s more likely Aiken would get jettisoned. He has less upside.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
by SlotMachinePlayer on Aug 5, 2009 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
If he is as you guys say
He must be used in wildcat even as a decoy, because if you can catch and throw you good-to-go for that.
Could you see them putting Brady on the line?
how do you see it set up? I’m just trying to understand what the options are.
Keep the faith!
My though is as followed
Edelrman could do two things.
1.) line up as WR and still have brady in because Edelrman is like a QB/WR then have the RB go to center and Brady backs off to where RB is and just looks nice(dont want him hurt), then say is Faulk the QB (the defence also didnt know wildcat was gonna happen to right before the snap) Faulk has the ball snaped he passes to Edelman can then can go run a route and Edleman can pass to Moss or Welker or Faulk ect. This would really confuse a team and i think the Pats would use this play when they really need 1st down. Then forever more teams would have to be careful of Edelman because he can throw and catch.
2.) Edelman is the QB goes to WR Faulk now is QB and Edelman is a decoy Faulk runs the ball, as the defence thinks its a pass play. Gets good yards, or passes if guys are open.
there are many other ways this could work those are 2
and there probably are errors in my typing (sorry).
Still not crazy about it
1) is in my opinion not really an option. It would mean we choose to play 10 on 11 AND take the ball out of the hands of the best qb in the league. What is the advantage? If we want the element of surprise, Brady can lateral to Edelman or we can direct snap to Faulk.
2) This is a better option, because we will play 11 on 11. But it would mean taking brady out of the game, thus reducing the threat of the passing game. If a were the DC I would play the run and bump Edelman, trusting that Faulk couldn’t throw much.
I like the wildcat as a trickplay and as an option for teams with ineffecient offenses, but the Patriots have the best offense in the NFL and get the best qb back this year. Why tinker with it?
Not a fan of the WC, but there are several other options
Brady to a three-receiver side, lined up between Welker and a burner (Moss or Galloway). Edelman at shotgun.
Now you have the capacity to run, so the D has to respect that. Brady will get attention as both a potential passer and receiver. This isn’t playing 11 on 10, because Brady split demands coverage. Even if you don’t think the Pats would send him into the route, you have to respect that they might. If he fakes upfield, drops back in position to take a lateral for a throw, there are all kinds of games you can play.
TB is holding down one corner. You can fake an end-around with the slot (or actually run it). You can use the coverage confusion to clear out underneath for the slot. You can overload short routes with the slot and Edelman to free the burner deep — even if Edelman is only coming over the personal-protect for Brady.
In some ways, it’s even less 10-on-11 than a standard lineup, where the D is pretty sure the QB is stationary and can focus its attention on the other threats.
“Why tinker with it?” Well, why drop-kick? Why not? Bill’s an assassin. If he thinks he’s got a defense that’s totally flummoxed, toss a real stumper at them. If you pull it off, it might be a quick six. If you don’t it’s one more thing they’ll have to think about.
As Mr. Sloan always says, there is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "I" in meat pie. Anagram of meat is team... I don't know what he's talking about. --Shaun of the Dead
by JohnHannahRules on Aug 6, 2009 9:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Taking time to install
Why not? Bill’s an assassin.
Sure he is, but even he needs time to install new plays and there is only so much time in camp. I think it is much better to devote time to getting all the new players (Lewis, Galloway, Smith, Baker, Vollmer, Ohrnberger) on the same page regarding the “old” offense.
A perfedt example of what edleman can do to enhance the offence with Tom Brady is what the Steelers did in there superbowl run with Roethlisberger and Randal El to Hines Ward Touchdowns. I look foward to watching this kid return punts, maybe we can break our 8 year spell of no returned punts for touchdowns!!!!!
Pats are working on that
If this morning’s camp had a title, it would have been “Special Teams Day.” A majority of the drills were punt-blocking at point-blank range, and then from various degrees farther away, with the player having to find the ball that they just blocked and recover it.
Keep the faith!
my first and legit fantasy football team(off-topic i know but now i'm excited. props to peter chung for getting me into it.
here it is:
QB: philip rivers, chad pennington
RB: deangelo williams, ryan grant, sammy morris, laurence maroney
WR: calvin johnson, vincent jackson, lance moore, steve breaston
TE: chris cooley, visanthe shiancoe
K: steven gostkowski
D-Fence: pittsburg, new england
I’m just excited about it, and to say something relevant to this post in my next post
okay now
i can’t see the pats doing too much wildcat offense with this guy or not. i just don’t think its their style, because i believe their style is the shotgun formation. but like i said, every once in a while i think they might pull it out, especially against miami. i think it’s going to be a wildcat formation battle between us.
yup same but if you really want to change a games pace do some wildcat make the opposing D think
that way you could have that 1 sec more in the next few plays
Wasn't O'Connell the second quickest QB in his draft year?
Why risk slower-than-Ted-Washington-on-a-cold-day Brady in any Wildcat formation, when you’ve got a second-string QB with ridiculous wheels? Edelman to O’Connell, anyone? It also has the benefit of being able to list Edelman as a WR, meaning that emergency QB rule doesn’t come into effect. That’s only if the Pats use a Miami-style Wildcat instead of developing some wrinkle of their own.
That was my main concern too
Brady’s running ability isn’t his strong suit, even if he did out-deke Brian Urlacher once, and the potential for injury is too big a risk to take in my opinion. Using O’Connell – on rare occasion – might work, but I don’t see the problem with our offense the way it is, utilizing our greatest asset, the best QB in the league.
Keep the faith!
he might of been he is very fast
but i dont think Brady will be running in the WIldcat or anywhere but QB sneak(is that really a run)
EDELMAN PROVES HIMSELF CAPABLE
of being an impact to this team and the league. I can not wait to see what kind of numbers this 7th rounder and pull off his first season!!!!!!!! anyone else as excited as i am??????
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