Julian Edelman - Pro Football Rumors

Patriots Work Out Justin Hunter

July 22nd, 2019 at 1:52pm CST by Zachary Links

The Patriots worked out four wide receivers on Monday, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Free agents Nick Williams (Titans), Justin Hunter (Steelers), Papi White (Jaguars), and Travin Dural (Saints) all showed their stuff for the Pats, who will be without Julian Edelman for the next three weeks because of a thumb injury.

Hunter seemed to hold serious promise when he entered the league as a second round pick of the Titans in 2013. Since then, he has spent time with three other teams, with the Steelers being the most recent of the bunch. He has managed just 14 catches with the Bills, Dolphins, and Steelers between 2017 and 2018. Last year, he did not see the field. His best season came most productive season came in 2014 when he had 28 catches for 498 yards and three scores with the Titans, though he did manage four TDs with Buffalo in 2016.

Hunter and the other players won’t have the easiest path towards making the Patriots’ final cut, but one of them may have an outside opportunity to hook on with the defending champs.

Extra Points: Edelman, AAF, XFL

June 25th, 2019 at 9:49pm CST by Ben Levine

We haven’t heard a whole lot about the defunct Alliance of American Football since the league suspended operations back in April. However, according to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic, former league owner Tom Dundon has filed “as an unsecured creditor” for the AAF and is claiming he was convinced to buy the league via “misrepresentations.” Dundon is seeking the entirety of the $70MM he invested in the company.

The league initial secured financing from Reggie Fowler, who is currently under indictment for bank fraud. That’s when Dundon, who owns the Carolina Hurricanes, entered into the equation, as he helped make up for Fowler’s failed commitment by purchasing the league. At the time, the perception inside the league office is that Dundon simply purchased a majority stake in the company to obtain the technology behind its gambling app.

However, a lawyer told Kaplan that Dundon may have two new objectives. For starters, he was looking to “remove himself from any litigation from creditors.” Second, by opting for the “misrepresentation” charge, the league’s executive/board insurance policies could come into play, which would then “open a new pool of money.”

Let’s check out some more notes from around the football world…

Dundon will have a difficult time convincing the courts that he’s not responsible for the AAF’s $48MM in liabilities, reports Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders. Specially, when Dundon “assumed all of the operational costs,” this meant he was responsible for making payroll. Furthermore, his public declarations that he would continue to invest money (around $250MM) into the league indicates that he was both prepared and capable to pay for any debts. Finally, considering Dundon’s standing as the Hurricanes owner, he has millions of dollars coming in each year that could be used to pay off creditors.
Former NFL safety Rahim Moore auditioned for the XFL last week, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. The 2011 second-rounder bounced around the NFL during his professional career, and he started 41 games for the Broncos between 2012 and 2014. The 29-year-old recently participated in the AAF, and he understands that an opportunity in the XFL would also come with its fair share of risks. “It’s still football, you know?” Moore said. “There’s a risk in everything you do. But if you love something, man, just go do it.”
Super Bowl MVP Julian Edelman is currently on a promotional tour for an upcoming documentary, and the Patriots wide receiver discussed what he went through during his four-game suspension to start last season. “It was a low time,” Edelman said (via Florio). “You’re already battling mentally if you can do it like you did it. And then all of a sudden you have this, you’re dealing with this, and then you’re dealing with everyone outside of your life and what people are saying and dealing with and you can’t really get too involved into because you’re ultimately trying to get yourself back to playing football. It’s not like you’re 100 percent going out here and dealing with all these things, and you’re fine. You still have a task at hand, and that was one of the biggest parts of my journey back — one of the toughest times where I really had to compartmentalize with how to deal with my injury, my suspension, with being a balanced family member and getting back from my injury. And that was a very tough time. . . . It was honestly — it was probably the toughest time of my life at that point.”

Contract Details: Patriots, Edelman, Collins

May 25th, 2019 at 8:52am CST by Ben Levine

A look at the details on recent deals from around the NFL:

Julian Edelman, WR (Patriots): Two-year extension. Worth $18.5MM, could increase to $25.5MM with incentives. $9.3MM tied to roster bonuses/performance incentives, $1.1MM in workout bonuses. Cap hits: $6.077MM (2019), $7.166MM (2020), $6.66MM (2021). Details via the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin (Twitter) and The Athletic’s Nick Underhill (Twitter).
Jamie Collins, LB (Patriots): One year (original story). $250K guarantee, $100K signing bonus, $900K base salary. $1.25MM injury guarantee. Earnings: $2MM (plays in all 16 games), $3MM (part-time starter), $5MM (starts all 16 games). $3MM cap hit. Details via Volin and via Underhill.
Brandon King, LB (Patriots): Two-year extension, $3.5MM. When combined with current deal, contract is three years, $4.875MM. 2019 salary increases from $1.175MM to $1.975MM, 2019 cap number increases from $1.359MM to $1.626MM. Details via Volin.

Patriots, Julian Edelman Agree To Extension

May 21st, 2019 at 9:43am CST by Zachary Links

Julian Edelman has agreed to a two-year extension with the Patriots, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The new pact will potentially take the wide receiver through the end of his career and allow him to retire in New England. It also comes with a pay bump – Edelman will receive $18MM in new money over the course of the two-year add on, giving him $21MM throughout his remaining three years, according to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston.

The deal comes with $8MM signing bonus and $12MM guaranteed, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. All in all, Edelman will earn an average annual value of $7MM, which is a solid bargain for the Patriots. Even when calculating his extension via the “new money” average, Edelman’s $9MM puts him outside of the league’s top 20 highest-paid receivers.

Edelman, who turns 33 on Wednesday, had another productive season in 2018. After missing the first four games of the season due to a ban for PEDs, the veteran amassed 74 catches for 850 yards and six touchdowns. Had he produced at the same rate over the course of a full 16-game season, Edelman would have registered something close to a 93/1063/8 stat line, which is not far off from his best single season performances.

Edelman has spent his entire career with the Patriots since entering the league as a seventh-round pick (No. 232 overall) in 2009. He was quietly productive in his rookie season, but he truly broke out in 2013 with 105 grabs for 1,056 yards and six TDs. Over the years, Edelman has captured three Super Bowl rings with New England, including February’s 13-3 win over the Rams in which he took SB MVP honors.

Edelman’s career seemed to be in doubt just a couple of years ago – the wide receiver lost the entire 2017 season to a torn ACL and had to sit out the first month of the ’18 season due to his suspension. However, he came back strong and he now has a deal that should allow him to retire with the only NFL franchise he’s ever known.

Patriots Activate Edelman, Cut Barner

October 4th, 2018 at 4:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

New England will venture into its Week 4 game thin at running back, though the Patriots’ wide receiver situation will be in as good of shape as it’s been all year.

Julian Edelman‘s return Thursday night forced the Patriots to make a roster move, and they’re opting to release running back Kenjon Barner, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. Barner’s bounced on and off the Pats’ roster this season, but his latest departure leaves them thin in the backfield.

With Rex Burkhead and Jeremy Hill on IR, the Patriots will go into their Week 5 Colts matchup with just James White and Sony Michel healthy. That’s a thin contingent of able backs, but both played well last week. Barring injury, the Patriots should be able to navigate this situation. However, either White or Michel going down would bring about some problems.

Barner saw action against the Dolphins, taking three handoffs for 11 yards. He has not, however, worked as a kick or punt returner this season. Those have been his primary responsibilities as an NFLer. That said, the Patriots will surely make a running back transaction in the near future — possibly bringing Barner back again — to round out their roster.

Ingram, Edelman To Return In Week 5

October 1st, 2018 at 9:05am CST by Zachary Links

As we approach Week 5 of the NFL season, several NFL players are returning from four-game bans. As noted by Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter), that list includes notables such as Saints running back Mark Ingram, Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman, Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict, Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving, Chargers defensive tackle Corey Liuget, Colts running back Robert Turbin, Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley, Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith.

Players do not count against a team’s roster max while suspended, so clubs will have to make room for these players before adding them for Week 5. There will be some tough decisions to make, but the upside is clear in most of these cases, particularly when it comes to offensive weapons like Ingram and Edelman or defensive pillars like Burfict and Irving.

Alvin Kamara should remain the focal point of the Saints’ running game, but the return of Ingram will give opposing defenses something else to think about. And, as we saw in the first three weeks of the Patriots’ season, Edelman has been sorely missed.

AFC East Notes: Darnold, Patriots, Allen

July 28th, 2018 at 1:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two rookies remain unsigned: Sam Darnold and Roquan Smith. The Jets are working on a deal with a quarterback they’ve been thrilled about throughout the offseason, one who was supposed to have a legitimate chance at a Week 1 starting job, but Darnold’s camp absence isn’t doing him any favors. Offset language was thought to be a sticking point here, but NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport notes (video link) that isn’t the case (or isn’t any longer). Instead, the quarterback’s guarantees — and how and when they would void — represent why the former USC standout hasn’t signed. Void issues have also come up in the Bears’ discussions with Smith. CAA represents both Darnold and Smith. The Jets began their first practice this afternoon.

Here’s the latest from the AFC East:

A former AFC East quarterback was not planning to leave during what turned out to be his final offseason in the division. Jimmy Garoppolo was searching for Boston-area real estate last summer, Joon Lee of Bleacher Report notes. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe adds this should help put an end to speculation the Patriots were planning all along to unload their former backup quarterback. Volin writes Bill Belichick was indeed overruled about a plan to keep Garoppolo as the heir apparent — which would have induced complex math because of the current 49ers quarterback’s rookie contract expiring and Tom Brady not yet retired — before an 11th-hour trade to San Francisco.
Brady did not deny that he communicated with Josh McDaniels during the period after the Super Bowl when he backtracked on accepting the Colts’ HC job, the longtime Patriots quarterback said Saturday (via James Palmer of NFL.com, on Twitter). When asked if he spoke with his then-outgoing OC about potentially staying in New England instead, Brady said he “always” talks to McDaniels, who is now back for a seventh season in his second stint as Pats OC.
Julian Edelman addressed his suspension Saturday and said this second straight September off will allow him to get his knee fully ready to go. “It’s disappointing with the penalty and the findings,” Edelman said, via Doug Kyed of NESN.com. “And I’m definitely accountable for that. I have to follow the protocols a little better and make sure this never happens again.” Edelman contested the suspension but saw his appeal fail. The 10th-year slot receiver tore an ACL during the 2017 preseason but is expected to be ready to go upon his now-October debut date.
Josh Allen ‘s been the best Bills quarterback in camp thus far, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW observes. The raw Wyoming-honed talent outshined A.J. McCarron and Nathan Peterman on Saturday, per Buscaglia. Both of the older QBs are believed to be competing for Buffalo’s Week 1 job, with Allen believed to be set to watch as his career begins.

Patriots’ Julian Edelman Won’t Sue NFL

July 20th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by Zachary Links

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman won’t follow the Tom Brady playbook when it comes to his disagreement with the league. Edelman won’t take the NFL to federal court after an arbitrator recently upheld his PED suspension, a source tells Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). Instead, Edelman will focus his energy on football and prepare for his season, which will not start until Week 5.

Edelman was suspended in early June following a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, and his appeal was heard in early July. There was at least some mystery regarding Edelman’s failed test, but his argument centered around the fact that the NFL mishandled the documentation and delivery of his sample.

Edelman will miss games against the Texans, Jaguars, Lions, and Dolphins before returning in Week 5 to face the Colts. The Patriots have Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Matt Slater, and Braxton Berrios to lean on (and star tight end Rob Gronkowski), but Brady will still miss his projected No. 1 target at wide receiver.

Over his past four healthy seasons, Edelman has averaged 89 catches, 956 yards, and five touchdowns per campaign. But, unfortunately, Edelman hasn’t been on the field for more than a year, as a torn ACL ended his 2017 campaign before it began. Now that he has decided against legal action, we know that it will take him an extra month before he can return to the field.

Extra Points: Pats, Seahawks, Texans, Giants

July 3rd, 2018 at 9:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although there was some mystery as to what substance caused Patriots wideout Julian Edelman to face a four-game performance-enhancing drug suspension, he didn’t question the results of the test itself in his appeal, tweets Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. Instead, Edelman centered the appeal around the paperwork and documentation surrounding his failed test. In the end, the actual substance that triggered Edelman’s failed test doesn’t matter, as the NFL has the authority to ban players who test positive for unrecognizable substances. Edelman’s appeal was denied today, meaning he’ll miss the first quarter of New England’s 2018 campaign.

Here’s more from around the league:

While offensive guard J.R. Sweezy met with the Seahawks earlier this week, a signing may not occur any time soon, per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). Sweezy was earning $6.5MM annually on his contract with the Buccaneers, and given that he won’t earn anything close to that amount with Seattle, the veteran lineman could choose to wait for a better opportunity. The Seahawks, for their part, don’t need to rush, either, according to Condotta: Seattle’s offensive line is mostly set, and while Sweezy would offer familiarity after spending the 2012-14 seasons with the Seahawks, the club could give reps to its younger linemen before inking Sweezy down the road.
Given that starter C.J. Fiedorowicz was forced to retire earlier this year following a series of concussions, the Texans are hoping a “collective effort” will be able to replace his production at the position. “It’s was unfortunate that C.J. Fiedorowicz had to retire but we’ve been very fortunate having a good room, having a bunch of guys come to work, coming to get better,” Texans tight ends coach Tim Kelly told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “Really taking the coaching. I’m fortunate to have those guys in there and really coming in and working hard.” Ryan Griffin looks like the early favorite to start if only due to his experience (six seasons), but Stephen Anderson, rookies Jordan Akins and Jordan Thomas, MyCole Pruitt, Matt Lengel, and others could also chip in.
Giants third-round defensive lineman B.J. Hill could become an immediate starter, according to Matt Lombardo of NJ.com. As of now, Hill is penciled one of New York’s starting defensive ends opposite Dalvin Tomlinson. The Giants are switching to a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator James Bettcher, but one of Bettcher’s hand-picked additions — ex-Cardinals defender Josh Mauro — is suspended for the first quarter of the 2018 season. While Mauro could certainly reclaim a starting spot when he returns, Hill could use the first quarter of the year to run with the job.

Julian Edelman’s Suspension Appeal Denied

July 3rd, 2018 at 6:14pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman‘s appeal of his four-game suspension has failed, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

Edelman was suspended in early June following a violation of the NFL’s performance-enhancing drug policy, and his appeal was heard last Monday. NFL bans aren’t often overturned, so the fact that Edelman will be forced to serve his four-game suspension isn’t particularly surprising, although there was at least some mystery regarding Edelman’s failed test. Edelman, for his part, was expected to argue the league mishandled the documentation and delivery of his sample.

Edelman will miss contests against the Texans, Jaguars, Lions, and Dolphins as the Patriots complete the first quarter of their season, and his absence could give other New England wideouts a chance to produce, or even a better shot at making the club’s initial roster. Kenny Britt, Jordan Matthews, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, Matt Slater, and Braxton Berrios are among the options that will be at Tom Brady‘s disposal while Edelman is sidelined.

Over his past four healthy seasons, Edelman has averaged 133 targets, 89 receptions, 956 yards, and five touchdowns per year. He was a major part of the Super Bowl-winning Patriots squad in 2016, hauling in 98 catches for a career-high 1,106 yards. However, the 32-year-old Edelman hasn’t been on the field for more than a year, as a torn ACL ended his 2017 campaign before it began.