When people think of the NFL’s best receivers, the usual suspects come to mind: Julio Jones, Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham Jr.
But what about Julian Edelman?
The New England Patriots receiver obviously isn’t one of the most athletic or physically gifted wideouts in the league, but he’s still one of the most difficult to deal with. And in a piece published Thursday in The Players’ Tribune, Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman called Edelman one of the NFL’s five most underrated receivers.
Sherman used Edelman’s iconic play in Super Bowl XLIX as a prime example of the 31-year-old’s unique toughness. He also explained why Edelman remains so underrated in the pantheon of NFL receivers.
“Whenever you talk about the Patriots, people talk about the system,” Sherman wrote. “They had Wes Welker there before, and now with Edelman out, they’re using Chris Hogan and Danny Amendola pretty effectively in that slot role. I think that’s why Edelman is usually left out of the discussion of best receivers in the game — because of the system.
“But I think he’s more than just a system guy. You just don’t see a lot of wide receivers bring that kind of toughness to their game, especially at his size. And as a defensive player, that’s something that I definitely respect”
Sherman also included Jermaine Kearse, Stefon Diggs, Golden Tate and Marvin Jones in his list.
Unfortunately for NFL fans, both Sherman (Achilles) and Edelman (ACL) won’t be seen on an NFL field until next season. However, Edelman doesn’t sound like he’s ready to close the door on the possibility of returning for the playoffs.
