A glaring weakness for the Patriots the past two seasons finally has to be addressed.
Cam Newton didn’t help their case with his play in 2020, but regardless of his performance, it’s clear the Patriots’ wide receiver room needs a total revamping. WR has to be on top of New England’s offseason checklist, and Bill Belichick has a few possible directions to take his hunt for upper echelon pass catchers.
Julian Edelman’s status for next season remains very much up in the air. It will hurt if we lose the Patriots great, but Jakobi Meyers looks poised to become New England’s next great slot receiver. N’Keal Harry deserves the benefit of the doubt after an injury-riddled rookie season and a ‘Cam Newton is throwing to you’ sophomore season. Harry has shown flashes of brilliance, and should have one more season to prove he is a capable starter.
This year’s free agent receiver class is the strongest we’ve seen in years with names like Allen Robinson and Chris Godwin up for grabs. This year’s draft also has some stud WRs that could be available around the Patriots’ No. 15 slot.
The Patriots, more than anything, need a No. 1 guy, and the trade route could offer some interesting and super talented names that could use a change of scenery. Let’s break down some potential big-name wide receivers that New England should do their due diligence on.
3. Odell Beckham Jr.
The Cleveland Browns x OBJ experiment doesn’t appear to be working. Could the Patriots take advantage?
Odell Beckham Jr. only got to play seven games this season for the Cleveland Browns before tearing his ACL to end his year. Before the injury, though, there was a ton of chatter about the Browns’ partnership with OBJ and whether they are utilizing the superstar receiver correctly. Rumors even circulated pertaining to a potential Beckham Jr. trade at the deadline.
The Cleveland Browns has their best season in decades after making the playoffs for the first time since 2002. Their string of wins came shortly after OBJ went down for the season — leading to further speculation.
Beckham Jr. is only owed near $15 million per year the next three seasons, a great deal for a WR of his caliber.
The Patriots have been mentioned in Beckham Jr. talks since his days in New York and OBJ seems like a potential fit to be the next star receiver that Bill Belichick can get the most out of.
2. Michael Thomas
A new era in New Orleans could make a superstar receiver available to the Patriots.
Fresh off a zero catch performance in the NFL divisional round, Michael Thomas might be on the hunt for a fresh start.
Much like OBJ, Thomas only squeezed in seven regular season games this year for the New Orleans Saints. Although injuries were the cause of most of his games missed, a fight with a teammate and a jawing match with coach Sean Payton caused him to be suspended for Week 5.
With Drew Brees on his way out and Thomas seeming to have fallen out of favor with the Saints offensive staff, the OSU wideout may be looking for a new beginning.
Thomas is still a top five receiver in the NFL and would be a star in any organization that has a QB with a decent arm.
At an average salary of $19.25 million per year over the next four years. Thomas wouldn’t be the cheapest option at WR, but if he can return to 149-reception form these next several seasons, he would be more than worth the price tag.
Another receiver with a personality — and you know Bill Belichick would be able to get the most out of the superstar talent.
1. Julio Jones
Would the veteran receiver be worth the hefty price tag for the Patriots?
This guy is the definition of the Patriots Way. Julio Jones just does his job. There’s no personality to deal with when this guy comes to play. He’s the silent assassin who has quietly been a top three receiver of the last decade.
The Atlanta Falcons are about to have an interesting offseason. Their offense is one of the best in the league on paper, but when it comes to defense or closing out games, no dice. With a new coach and management corps coming in, there could be a big roster shakeup this spring.
Julio’s name was floated in trade rumors before the deadline along with quarterback Matt Ryan, as the Atlanta Falcons might be looking to trade veteran pieces to begin stockpiling young assets.
Of all the aforementioned WRs, Julio has the heftiest contract by far, sitting at around $22 million per year for the next three years (with a team opt-out available in 2023). Jones is the second highest paid pass catcher in the league, but he is worth every penny if healthy.
Is a trade the best route for the Patriots’ search for a number one wide receiver?
Although these names are super enticing, the cost to acquire one of these names plus the heavy cap hit makes one hesitate.
Saying that, it’s hard to find a number 1 guy in this league, and unless the Patriots sign one of the top impending UFAs or land a Smith or Waddle in the draft, a trade isn’t the worst option.
New England should be a competitive team in 2021 and to bring in an immediate impact guy catching passes would be huge for the Patriots’ playoff chances.
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