Julian Edelman is actively recruiting Zion Williamson to replace Rob Gronkowski in New England

The New England Patriots will be without tight end Rob Gronkowski this fall for the first time in a decade.

Gronkowski has been a mainstay in the Patriots offense since 2010, and played a big part in their last three Super Bowl wins. He’s not an easy player to replace by any means.

Yet wide receiver Julian Edelman has an idea of how to fill the future Hall-of-Famer’s shoes this fall — and he’s thinking outside of the box.

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He wants to go after Duke star and future NBA lottery pick Zion Williamson.

“Hey Zion, we’ve got an opening at [tight end] for ya bud,” Edelman tweeted on Wednesday with a photoshopped picture of Williamson holding a Patriots jersey with his name on it next to team owner Robert Kraft. “Just sayin.”

The Patriots are certainly wide open at that position without Gronkowski, who retired after their Super Bowl win against the Los Angeles Rams in February. New England currently lists Austin Seferian-Jenkis as its starting tight end, with Jacob Hollister and Stephen Anderson backing him up. Last season, the three combined for just 15 total receptions.

And at 6-foot-7, 285 pounds, Williamson certainly has the build to jump in and play tight end — Gronkowski stood at 6-foot-6 and 268 pounds.

Yet after his season with the Blue Devils — in which he averaged 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, was the consensus Player of the Year and is all but certain to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft in June — it’s unlikely that the 18-year-old will be up for making the transition from the hardwood to the gridiron anytime soon.

Hey, it’s worth a shot at least, right?

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