Edelman: 49ers are getting 'a stud' in Garoppolo

Jimmy Garoppolo was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, and though the New England Patriots still have Tom Brady aboard, the 26-year-old will be missed.

Garoppolo was sent to the 49ers in exchange for a 2018 second-round pick, providing him with an opportunity to excel on his own while Brady continues to submit another MVP-worthy campaign.

Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman raved about Garoppolo and described their playful relationship Friday.

"They're getting a stud, man," he told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "He was a good little friend of mine. He would come out to L.A. and I would punk him into throwing to me a bunch his first couple of years, and then he got a little too big for it."

Edelman lamented the trade but understands it's just a part of pro sports.

"It's unfortunate; that's the NFL. There's the relationship parts of it and then there's the business aspect of it, and sometimes they don't always meet up. You make relationships in this league, but you see friends come and go all the time. It will be cool to have him in the Bay Area, though, so when I go back, I can punk him into throwing to me."

The Patriots and 49ers aren't scheduled to play each other in 2017, but the move is sure to add some intrigue to their next matchup.

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