Edelman’s Rookie Campaign Reaches Final Exam

January 9, 2010   ·   Joshua Parcell   ·   Jump to comments

With one gruesome, season-ending injury, Julian Edelman’s season took the final step in one of the most rapid developments of an NFL rookie in league history.

Wes Welker was lost for the season with a torn ACL/MCL against the Houston Texans on Sunday, leaving Edelman as the only replacement in an offense that is a direct function of its ability to give the ball to slot receivers.

In a season where there are at least two teams clearly the Patriots’ superior in-conference (unfamiliar territory with a healthy Tom Brady), Welker was the equalizer. He averaged 8.8 receptions per game for 11 yards per catch.

That’s eight first downs all by himself.
Edelman, on the other hand, was an unknown quarterback from Kent State that Bill Belichick drafted as his personal project, converting him to wide receiver in the Welker mold.

Most of the season was a developmental process. In week two, Edelman was thrown to 16 times. Several drops and poor route runn...

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