During a recent appearance on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” former New England Patriots standout receiver Julian Edelman expressed concerns over Aaron Rodgers’ recent absence from minicamp.
Edelman emphasized in the discussion that Rodgers and the Jets will face significant scrutiny if the team starts the season poorly. He noted that Tom Brady never missed a mandatory minicamp, even in his 40s.
“I understand people do things differently, but if the New York Jets start 1-3, it will raise serious questions,” Edelman said. “They start with the 49ers, Tennessee, Patriots, and Broncos. We all know the Patriots are struggling, but their defense remains tough, and that’s who Aaron will face. If they go 1-3, it will be a huge distraction for the team because everyone will be talking about it.”
You can see part of the discussion here.
.@Edelman11 [1] says Aaron Rodgers missing mandatory minicamp is a bad look:
“If they go 1-3, this is going to be such a big distraction for that locker room.” pic.twitter.com/WLrwwgln2r [2]
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 21, 2024 [3]
Edelman added, “It’s a bad look for your leader to miss an unexcused minicamp. I was with Tom Brady in his 23rd year, and although he missed some OTAs, he never missed a mandatory minicamp.”
Rodgers or otherwise, having a key player absent from key team activities always serves as a distraction. The only question when these “distractions” come about is how will the team handle the adversity. Certainly if Rodgers comes out and lights the world on fire the conversation will end. However, the story is already a point of contention in the Jets community and concerns remain and likely will until the start of the season.