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Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman were teammates with the New England Patriots from 2010-2018, earning three Super Bowl titles together. The two were seen as seven-time champion Tom Brady’s top targets during the Patriots’ dynastic run.
Just a short while after Edelman announced his retirement from the NFL due a lingering knee injury, Gronkowski is predicting that his former teammate will make another go at some time soon.
“Jules was an unbelievable player and he literally gives it his all for his teammates,” Gronkowski said, via ESPN. “I just wish the best for Julian to heal up. Obviously in his little press conference thing, he said he was going to go until the tires fall off and he sure has. So I’m hoping he heals up. I want the best for him. I’ve been in that situation before. I believe, if Julian truly heals up whatever’s hurting on him, and he fully heals and feels good, I think he’ll be back.
Fresh off winning the Super Bowl with Mr. Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Rob Gronkowski would not predict if Edelman’s return would come in 2021 or down the road. However, he’s as close to the Super Bowl MVP as any other player in the NFL.
Will Rob Gronkowski’s prediction come true?
Turning 35 later in May, Edelman has been on a downward trajectory in recent years. Last season alone, he caught just 21 passes for 315 yards in six games. Obviously, the performance of Cam Newton in replacing Brady under center with the Patriots played a role here.
With that said, Edelman led the NFL in drops during Brady’s final season with the Patriots back in 2019. He was still able to record 100 catches for 1,117 yards. But this has to be a sign.
Should Edelman prove himself to be 100% healthy, it’s a foregone conclusion that certain teams will show interest in him. However, it’s unlikely to be either the Patriots or Rob Gronkowski and his Buccaneers.
New England added wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor to the mix in free agency. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay re-signed Antonio Brown and brought back Chris Godwin on the franchise tag.
Among those in need at slot receiver, the San Francisco 49ers might make sense should Edelman return in 2021. They avoided that position like the plague during the 2021 NFL Draft and have a gaping hole in the slot. The Green Bay Packers could also make sense depending on Aaron Rodgers’ future with the organization.