Bedard: Julian Edelman's possible suspension latest hit in brutal offseason that just needs to end

FOXBOROUGH — If you're a Patriots fan, training camp can’t get here quick enough. Or better yet, the Sept. 9 season opener against the Texans.

Because since the end of Super Bowl LII against the Eagles in Minneapolis through Thursday’s final day of minicamp at Gillette Stadium, the offseason of 2018 has been a bag of stink for the Favored Sons of Robert Kraft.

From Malcolm Butler, the free-agent exodus, Tom Brady deciding that he was no longer going to give up his life for the Patriots, to the revelation Julian Edelman is facing a four-game PED suspension (pending appeal), there hasn’t been much good news for the Patriots faithful.

The last good news the Patriots delivered to their fans? The AFC championship game victory over the Jaguars.

Ah, the good old days.



As Thursday beckoned, things seemed to be falling into place again, just in time for the month-long vacation the NFL takes. Brady was going to speak for the first time. The hope was he would put everyone’s mind at ease -- while there may be lingering issues, all was well with QB1, and he was full-steam ahead for 2019.

That did not happen.

Then, moments after Brady stepped off the podium and the Patriots were done with the media for the week, Adam Schefter and Field Yates — two reporters who have been aligned with the Patriots in the past — dumped the Edelman bombshell.

And things were further were sent into a tizzy for the Patriots.

We’ll get into the bottom line on how this affects the Patriots for the new season, but first we have to address both Brady and Edelman.

The most disturbing part of Brady’s session with the media — besides the fact that it was lightning-quick (he did linger to speak with some national media members afterward) was he wasn’t definitive on whether or not he would attend the team’s final four offseason practices after the minicamp.

“We're not even through today yet,” Brady said, deftly dodging the question like an oncoming pass rusher. “We've had a good three days, and been working on the things we need to work on. That's what I always focus on.”

How can he not answer that question? And considering that he undoubtedly knew of the Edelman situation, why wasn’t his answer: Hell yeah I’m going to be there. We have a ton of work to do.

Evidently, Brady is sticking to doing the absolute bare minimum with his teammates this offseason. Provided he doesn’t have a health situation — and judging from his globetrotting the past month, that doesn’t seem likely — the unsettled dynamic between Brady and Belichick is likely at play. And that’s … just disappointing. Everyone has their reasons for doing things, but this is Brady we’re talking about. He’s TB12, because he’s a cyborg when it comes to his preparation for the football season. That’s not just in taking care of his body, but his team and teammates as well. And he’s not doing that right now.

Brady tried to play off any concerns about the relationship with his coach.

“It's great, and we've always had a great relationship,” Brady said. “I've been here for a long time and I love this team, I love this organization and I love playing quarterback for (Belichick). I loved it last year. I'm having a lot of fun now, so that's obviously what's most important to me.”

Nobody was buying it. If everything was so great, and Brady’s having so much fun around the Belichick and the team, why hasn’t he been there at all during the offseason? If they’re so chummy, why not drop in and discuss some gameplan points?

As for Edelman, rightly or wrongly, his relationship with the TB12 brand and Alex Guerrero will be analyzed like never before. Brady’s a lightning rod because he’s the best player — still — in the most popular sport. Ask Messi how that goes, or Tiger Woods. Combine that with the fact Brady has actively been working to tout his brand and lifestyle, and people are going to start asking a lot more questions. Hopefully, for Brady’s sake and the sterling reputation he’s built over the course of his professional career, there’s nothing for people to find. If so, this will blow over.

So where does that leave everyone? All of the above might be great fodder for ESPN and sports-talk radio, and it might make some Patriots fans fret and question what happened to their organization that seems to easily endure all issues around them. But the bottom line? The Patriots can survive all this.

Players and coaches have won while not having great relationships or, even, hating each other. New England has withstood much harsher spotlights (Spygate, Deflategate) than any possible TB12 inquiry. So the Patriots can certainly win, and win big.

But at some point all those issues can cause so much strain that even New England can’t overcome it. The only question that matters: Will the Patriots reach that point this season?