Within the last six weeks, two of the New England Patriots’ three biggest offensive stars have left town for Tampa Bay.
As for the third? He’ll be just fine, Tom Brady says.
During the NFL’s “Draft-A-Thon” live stream Thursday night, Brady was asked how Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman will manage now that Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski both are suiting up for the Buccaneers.
“Jules knows how I feel about him,” the quarterback said. “I love that guy. He’s like a brother to me. We have been through so much. Nobody’s as big a fan of Julian (as) me. He’ll be great whoever he plays with.”
Brady signed with the Bucs last month, ending a 20-year tenure in New England and an 11-year run as Edelman’s QB. Earlier this week, Gronkowski chose to come out of retirement to join Brady in Tampa. The Patriots traded his rights to the Bucs along with a seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft for a fourth-round selection.
Edelman, who caught 100 passes for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns last season, now is the Patriots’ longest-tenured offensive player. He’ll play an important role in the transition to Brady’s immediate successor — likely either second-year pro Jarrett Stidham or veteran journeyman Brian Hoyer.
