Patriots hosted three offensive veterans yesterday

According to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, the New England Patriots continued to scour the free agent market for bargains on Wednesday, hosting veterans Ricky Stanzi, Jeff Cumberland and Mike Williams.

A fifth round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2011, Stanzi is the definition of a career backup having never attempted a pass in the regular season. He has also been a member of the New York Giants, Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, and he spent last year on the Detroit Lions’ practice squad.

MUST-READ: 6 cornerbacks Patriots should consider in 2016 NFL Draft

Should the Patriots sign Stanzi, the veteran will have to prove he’s worth keeping around on the 53-man roster, as it’s unusual for the Patriots to carry three quarterbacks on game day. It’s more likely than not that Stanzi will be a contingency backup for Jimmy Garoppolo should Tom Brady miss any time at the beginning of the season.

Moving on to Cumberland, it’s not a huge surprise that the Patriots are giving him a look. A six-year veteran having spent all of his playing days with the New York Jets, Cumberland is someone the Patriots are familiar with. In fact, Cumberland has more catches (15) and yards (212) in eight games against the Patriots than he has against any other team.

MUST-READ: 6 remaining free agents Patriots should mull over

It’s just hard to imagine Cumberland breaking into a crowded group of Patriots tight ends, one which gained another layer with the signing of Clay Harbor yesterday.

Last but not least, the Patriots also took a gander at former Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mike Williams, who was suspended for the first six weeks of 2015 and thus didn’t garner much interest on the open market last offseason; he hasn’t caught a pass since 2014.

MUST-READ: 6 remaining free agents Patriots should avoid signing

The first three years of Williams’ career were spectacular. He started all but one game in that span, snagging 193 passes for 1,731 yard and 23 touchdowns for the Buccaneers. However, an injury-plagued 2013 season led to a change of scenery for Williams in Buffalo, but again, he struggled to stay on the field and caught just eight balls in nine games as Sammy Watkins took over the Bills’ offense.

Of the players on this list, Williams is perhaps the most intriguing, as he could push recently signed veteran Nate Washington in training camp. Stanzi also stands out as a desirable backup option.

Next: Reordering WR depth chart after Washington signing

Stay tuned here on Musket Fire for coverage on every twist and turn in the Patriots’ offseason.