Julian Edelman won't be pulling for his former team Sunday when the Patriots visit MetLife Stadium.
This isn't because the retired wide receiver has any sort of ax to grind with New England. Quite the contrary. Edelman knows that if the 2-8 Patriots fall to the 3-8 Giants in Week 12, it will put New England in a better position to land a higher first-round selection in next year's NFL draft.
"It hurts to say...but today, a win = a loss," Edelman posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Were onto April 25th, 2024."
Total rushing yards (incl. overtime)
Rhamondre Stevenson
NE - RBTo say Sunday's Patriots-Giants clash has significant draft implications would be a sizable understatement. According to ESPN analytics, New England will have a 38% chance of landing a top two 2024 draft pick if it falls to Tommy DeVito and company. That number would drop all the way to 9% if the Patriots earned their first win since Week 7.
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At this point, one could argue it's imperative for New England to make one of the first few selections in late April next year. Mac Jones doesn't appear to have a future in Foxboro, Mass. and a potential rebuild could be accelerated if one of the top 2024 quarterback prospects ends up in New England.
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