Julian Edelman contract situation

In the next week, Julian Edelman is set to hit the open market. I've always been a big fan of Edelman, saying before the 2012 season he should be the Wes Welker replacement. Even though he played a shortened season due to injury, it should be considered his breakout year. He had 21 catches, 235 yards, and 3 TD's and though not flashy, if you watched this guy live, you would know how good he looked. At the beginning of the season before he was injured, he was even taking snaps from Welker.

In an ESPN article, they project that he will sign a 3 year, $10 million deal. He's not proven enough to get a longer deal, but I think he should be locked up for a longer time. He's not only a developing reciever who Brady has trust in, he's the Patriot's best punt returner. Obviously the Patriots are working with the cap limit and have to sign other key guys, so a 3 year deal seems realistic. Edelman is only 26 years old and could sign a long term deal in 3 years if he performs well. I hope the Edelman situation works out because he's a great player and a great teammate. How do you think the Patriots should handle this situation? Let us know on twitter @joeloobs @patriotslife