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FOXBORO, Mass. – New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman does not take his former teammate Malcolm Butler lightly, simply because the Tennessee Titans cornerback has struggled this season.
The 7-2 Patriots will face Butler's 4-4 Titans on Sunday in Tennessee.
Butler signed a $ 61 million five-year deal with the Titans this season, after the Patriots let him go free. New England should never retain Butler after being replaced by head coach Bill Belichick in the Super Bowl LII.
"Malcolm, Malcolm," Edelman said Wednesday. "He's a strong player who plays the ball well in the air. He has been beaten many times, but that's the nature of his game. He's a very aggressive player who plays the ball well in your hands. It is long – the upper body. He has this ability to catch up with the ball in the air while looking back. Many turns can not do that. I have a lot of respect for Malcolm. He is a hard-nosed player who competes and his journey to where he stands shows how hard he works. This is a stud farm.
Edelman knows Butler well. They were teammates for four years and even went to Disneyland together after their Super Bowl XLIX feats.
Edelman is also familiar with Titan quarterback Logan Ryan, against whom he also played for four years.
"These were battles against these guys," Edelman said. "Guys, Logan is a true instinctive and fundamentally healthy football player. If you make a mistake with Logan, he will execute the route for you. This is the kind of player he is. He is a very cerebral guy who studies everyone and works hard.
"And the same can be said of Malc. These guys are good football players, very good football players. They showed it here, and they show it now. You can not get lost with them. "
And if the game looks like practice, there could be talks between the two teams on Sunday.
"We have playful jokes in practice," Edelman said. "It's like that – it's competition. It's the competition. I am sure they will be excited. We will have to bring it. "
Photo thumbnail via Greg M. Cooper / USA TODAY Sports Images
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