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Patriots Receiving Core Ranked 3rd in NFL

By David Smith

Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) with wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 24, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman (11) with wide receiver Danny Amendola (80) and tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) against the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship football game at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /
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Thoughts on the Patriots’ receiving core being ranked third in the NFL by Greg Rosenthal.

A couple of weeks ago, Redskins receiver Jamison Crowder said that the Redskins have the best receiving core in football, so Greg Rosenthal decided to give his top four receiving groups in the NFL and the Patriots were one of them.

Rosenthal ranked the Patriots 3rd, right before the Jaguars. Now I have no problem with the Patriots being ranked 3rd going into the season. There’s still a lot of unknown with their new group. You figure last year, they had basically two and a half receivers and a mildly hobbled Gronk as the only real targets. Edelman was out for most of the year, Amendola missed time, LaFell was coming off PUP, Scott Chandler was MIA and the other receivers were simply unproven. This year they restocked and reloaded the entire receiving core to now include depth and experience.

Where my problems arise have nothing to do with the Patriots being ranked 3rd, nor the Jaguars being 4th. My problems arise with number 1. He has the Cardinals as the best receiving core in football. Um….what? They are ok, but 1? No way, no how. The Cardinals don’t even use a TE, their main receiver had a career resurgence last year and they have some decent pieces, but 1? Get out of here.

Number 2 were the Redskins, and I’m like ok, that makes sense. Look at their core players: DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Jordan Reed, Crowder is alright, and their rookie looks good too. So putting them slightly ahead of an unproven Patriots’ core makes sense to me.

Number 1 should easily be Pittsburgh. The Steelers have the best receiving core in football hands down, even with Martavis Bryant’s suspension the Steelers won’t miss a beat. I’d bet that Sammie Coats steps in and lights the world on fire. The Steelers are so deep at receiver, and they have the best receiver in football to top it all off.

Maybe by the end of the year the Patriots will be ranked 2, but I don’t see anyone supplanting Pittsburgh as the clear number one right now.

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