New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman is the face of the franchise now that tight end Rob Gronkowski joined his buddy Tom Brady in Tampa Bay. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Julian Edelman's mindset following Rob Gronkowski trade

Now that Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski have teamed up in Tampa Bay, New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman must be feeling pretty lonely... right? Well, not exactly.

Although his buddies are off to bigger and better things, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Edelman may not be feeling so bad after all.

At this point, it's unlikely Bill Belichick trades Edelman... especially considering he's the best receiver New England has at the moment. However, anything can happen.

If the Patriots are going to attempt to tank in order to receive a higher draft pick in 2021, they're well on their way to making that happen.

Although the Patriots went 12-4 last season, and Edelman had 100 receptions for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns, they're not expected to make the playoffs in 2020 with second-year quarterback Jarrett Stidham at the helm of the offense. 

If Edelman ends up requesting a trade, then the Patriots may be in much deeper waters this coming season.

More must-reads:

TODAY'S BEST
Pirates place left-hander, catcher on injured list
Mavs get good news on Maxi Kleber ahead of Game 4
Patriots exec discusses team's approach to QB competition
Braves to promote No. 3 prospect for MLB debut Wednesday
Diamondbacks release veteran infielder
Packers' former first-round pick planning to make 'monster leap'
NFLPA finalizing proposal for major change to offseason schedule
LeBron James shouts out Jaylen Brown after Celtics advance to NBA Finals
Pacers collapse down the stretch as Celtics sweep ECF
Hall of Famer, beloved broadcaster Bill Walton dead at 71
Jason Robertson leads Stars to comeback win over Oilers in Game 3
Despite recent form, Rafael Nadal's legacy is still gold standard for tennis
Bengals coach offers significant injury update on QB Joe Burrow
MLB officials expect automated ball-strike system to be implemented in 2026
Vikings reportedly considered Justin Jefferson trade during NFL Draft
A matured Kyrie Irving is finally proving to be the star we all knew he could be
Insider: Sixers 'a threat' to sign LeBron James in free agency
Week 14 NASCAR rankings: Larson's no-show shakes up the running order
Three hitters Braves should target after losing Ronald Acuna Jr.
Shohei Ohtani shares major update on his pitching rehab