There have long been parallels made between New England Patriots wide receivers Julian Edelman and Wes Welker. However, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is not shy about pointing out where the stark difference lies.
According to Evan Lazar of CLNS Media, McDaniels praised Edelman for his complete skill set as a wide receiver as opposed to Welker's role in the slot.
McDaniels says that Julian Edelman is a "different player" from someone like Wes Welker. Not just a slot receiver. #Patriots
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) August 21, 2020
McDaniels' comments may seen as a bit of a slight on Welker given all his contributions to the Patriots during his illustrious career. However, there is some truth to Edelman's ability to line up anywhere on the field.
Although Edelman may have made his bones in the slot as the unofficial successor to Welker, head coach Bill Belichick has put his versatile skill set to use on offense, special teams, and even defense throughout his career. This has allowed McDaniels much more flexibility when it comes to determining a game plan.
Regardless, it is still important to note just the kind of impact Welker had as a safety net in the slot for quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots. This role helped him become a five-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro, and three-time NFL receptions leader.
These are feats that Edelman has yet to achieve even once during his career. Fortunately, he can at least relish in the fact that he was able to win three Super Bowls while Welker fell short of any during his time as a player.
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