Following a storied career with the New England Patriots, which saw Julian Edelman win a trio of Super Bowl Rings, a Super Bowl MVP, and total over 7,000 yards for the team across his eleven-year career, JE11 has moved on to the podcast game.
On his show, "Games with Names," he was asked about rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson's potential impact on the team, not as a rusher or receiver, but specifically as a pass blocker. That has been an underrated part of Henderson's game that evaluators raved about leading up to the draft, prompting many to believe that was a reason Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf selected him in the second round.
Edelman couldn't help but gush about the kind of player the Patriots were getting in their new running back. “I wish I had a goddamn nickel for every time I heard this kid (Henderson) can pass block. I swear to God, I’d pay off my taxes”, he joked. He admitted that even he was guilty of using one of the rookie's marquee traits for his benefit, saying, "I used it in like three of my vids!"
Julian Edelman see shades of Super Bowl great James White in Patriots new running back TreVeyon Henderson
Continuing with his praise for Henderson, Edelman went on to describe the importance of the role a third-down back has in the offense, particularly in the prime Patriots offenses called by Josh McDaniels.
"The importance of versatility in a back's ability to run and catch, but also provide additional support in the pass blocking game, Shane Vereen, James White, Kevin Faulk, early in my career, Dion Lewis, I mean, everyone. If you didn’t block, and you were that type of running back, you weren’t playin’. And so, if you’re a third-down running back and you don’t block, then they (the defense) know the protection. …makes you more dangerous in the passing game, too.”
RELATED: Patriots rookie gets massive endorsement from beloved Super Bowl hero
James White is the most recent of the third-down backs to have made a tremendous impact, most notably his hat-trick of touchdowns in Super Bowl LI, which helped the Patriots overcome a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons in iconic fashion.
Comparing the measurables of White and Henderson, the latter seems to be a better option athletically. Observing their Combine measurements, Henderson has superior explosion and long speed, as exemplified by his long jump and 40-yard dash time.
Additionally, his 10-yard split time is faster than White's, with acceleration and quickness being hallmarks of White's game. The most fascinating part of Henderson's career to date may be that his receiving production in college - he caught more passes in college than White.
Edelman goes on to describe the impact a third-down back can have on a young quarterback and how they can become mismatch nightmares if appropriately utilized. He went on to further draw the James White comparison, citing Henderson's yards after catch ability as an essential factor to the offense:
“That’s James White, catch a six-yard pass, you’ve got one guy to beat and that’s 20 yards.” He goes on to say, "I’m really excited because I think he can ultimately be a huge support for Drake Maye’s development. You know, you get all of this stuff going downfield, and everyone wants to get all puckered up about going downfield. Well, if everyone’s downfield, it’s one-on-one with the running back."
Henderson is not only an asset in the running game and pass protection, but could also be a massive asset in the passing game and towards Drake Maye's development, as #11 cites. While Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson each had spurts of okay play last season, Henderson could revolutionize this room in the short term and be a major piece for the long haul.