VIDEO: Patriots QB Danny Etling Seen Participating in Wide Receiver Drills at Training Camp
By Brendan Azoff
Danny Etling was a seventh-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and when the New England Patriots drafted him, we assumed Bill Belichick and co. saw something in the LSU product that we didn't. How many times has New England identified a great backup QB only to flip him for picks a few years later? They might have different plans for Etling, however.
Patriots QB Danny Etling doing non-QB things. pic.twitter.com/OpZjpfv0j7
— NESN (@NESN) July 25, 2019
The Patriots aren't treading in unfamiliar waters here, as current wide receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman was a college quarterback turned wideout. Perhaps New England hopes that Etling could replicate Edelman's success and find his role at wide receiver. Or, even better, maybe this is an offensive wrinkle?
Here’s Danny Etling working as a receiver pic.twitter.com/qFbfnr9UcA
— Mark Daniels (@MarkDanielsPJ) July 25, 2019
From the looks of things, his first day as a wide receiver went pretty well, as Etling looked comfortable receiving passes and making quick upfield cuts.
The Etling experiment is the latest form of innovation instituted by Belichick as he looks for ways to improve the already tantalizing Patriots offense.