Patriots: What are the options at wide receiver this offseason?

Re-sign current players with expiring contracts

Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan, Cordarrelle Patterson, and Josh Gordon are all free agents heading into the offseason.

Out of these four players, Dorsett makes the most sense to re-sign. He was not used much last season, but he was absolutely effective when called upon. He logged 32 receptions on 42 targets for a catch percentage of 76.2%, which would have ranked sixth among wide receivers last season. Dorsett was one target shy of the minimum to qualify for inclusion in that statistical rank.

Now, would this impressive catch percentage have carried over with an increased abundance of opportunities? It may have, or it may not have. What is clear, however, is that Dorsett knows the offense at least, and he does seem to have solid chemistry with Brady when he decides to throw his way. Perhaps it’s just a matter of solidifying TB12’s trust at this point.

Having familiarity on an offense that will be largely comprised of new faces would also help things run smoothly for the Patriots in 2019. Dorsett could be a solid option as a No. 3 or even No. 4 receiver – important for New England when it wants to empty out the backfield and go four or five-wide next year (which they could be doing a lot more of if Rob Gronkowski retires).

Josh Gordon could also be an option as a restricted free agent, but his suspension status with the NFL is still defined as “indefinite” as he continues to recover and rehabilitate. The Patriots cannot count on Gordon at this point in their 2019 plans.