With Rob Gronkowski’s recent retirement from football, existing Patriots players like veteran WR Julian Edelman are stepping up to the plate to replace one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

Without Gronk as one of Brady’s go-to guys for scoring touchdowns, Edelman isn’t the only one questioning whether or not another team like the New York Jets could give them a real run for their money heading towards for a run to Super Bowl LIV in Vegas.

The odds on favorite

For fans of watching while wagering on NFL outcomes, the Patriots are currently tied with the Kansas City Chiefs as being the odds on favorite at 6-1 to take home the Vince Lombardi trophy in 2020 according to gambling experts from Sin City. On the other side of the betting coin, the NY Jets are much further down the list with a double-digit entry of 80-1, a huge difference.

So what makes the Jets such a threat, and why are Edelman and others eyeing New York as a potential threat in 2019? Is there something Julian Edelman knows that we don’t? Let’s look at how he views how different parts of the pairing of the Patriots and Jets could come into play in the 2019 season. 

What does Julian Edelman see in the Jets?

Even though Julian is tight with Tom, according to recent reports, the Pat’s WR is admiring recent additions of players to the Jet’s lineup that seem to be threatening to Edelman. In an interview with the New York Post, Julian shared:

“They’ve got some new coaches, some really dynamic players, and a young quarterback. They also have a defense that for some reason does real well against us. This team has always played us well. Now the Jets have [coach Adam] Gase, and he’s got some blueprints from Miami, where he beat us. It’s going to be a tough matchup.”

While it’s impossible to gauge the future of NFL play in the shadow of the 2019 Draft, with unexpected trades and acquisitions coming from free-agency choices, it’s clear Edelman has an ear on what’s happening inside his conference and a nose to the grindstone while looking ahead.

Remembering the past

Super Bowl upsets almost seem to be a dime-a-dozen, and the comfortability factor Tom Brady, Julian Edelman, and other teammates have experienced over the last decade are not without question or controversy. 

Even though New England was heavily favored to tromp Los Angeles at the 2019 Super Bowl, in 2002, their victory over the Rams was both unexpected and unprecedented. 

Even though Brady is still playing at the top of his game and the Patriots are favored to take home the title of best in the league once again, there are many variables in the mix leading up to preseason play. If Edelman remains healthy and injury-free after August, he has the potential of hooking up with Brady and breaking more records with the NFL. For fans of the Patriots, they’ll have plenty to watch when these two vets hook up in 2019.

Friends on and off the field

Fans of both Tom Brady and Julian Edelman are aware the two have quite the bromance happening off the gridiron. In case you might have missed it, Edelman appeared on the NFL Network in 2017 to share his “trivial” knowledge about the relationship he shares with Brady.

In pointed questions about Brady’s performances on the field along with the quarterback’s eating habits and other personal preferences, Edelman scored high with eight out of 10 correct responses to those queries.

Playing in the shadow and future absence of Gronk, Julian could conceivably become the jewel of the Patriot’s scoring players during the 2019 season. Don’t sell yourself short Edelman!