Patriots: Development of skill position players should take precedent over QB situation

Entering one of the most critical offseasons in Bill Belichick’s tenure, the main focus seems to be who will play quarterback for the New England Patriots in 2021. It makes sense, as it’s the most important position on the field. But unless the Patriots develop their young talent on offense, it won’t matter who’s under center.

It’s been well documented the Patriots’ talent has declined over the last couple of years. Even Tom Brady couldn’t lift a lackluster offense past the Tennessee Titans in 2019. This past season, Cam Newton inherited a limited roster and we all know how that turned out.

Do you need a quarterback who can push the ball down the field in today’s NFL? Absolutely. But as you watch the playoffs, having receivers with the ability to get open on their own is just as important.

Just look at Travis Kelce’s abilities as an example.

We know this is one of the best tight ends in the game, but the Patriots don’t have anyone on their roster that can come close to doing this. And that makes life more difficult for a quarterback.

With so many holes to fill on both sides of the ball, the key to building a competitive roster is the continued development of Jakobi Meyers, N’Keal Harry, Devin Asiasi, and Dalton Keene.

This will allow Belichick to use cap space to fill positions of need on both side of the ball. Ideally, this offense could use a true No. 1 wide receiver and a veteran tight end. Pair that with their running game and you have a matchup nightmare for defenses.

But the key to it all is how these four players progress this offseason.

Jakobi Meyers had a great sophomore campaign, coming out of nowhere to post 59 receptions on 81 targets for 729 yards. Those are impressive numbers for someone who didn’t see more than eight snaps until the sixth game of the season.

One thing missing, though, is a touchdown reception. To be fair, he did throw two.

But in order to take his game to the next level, Meyers is going to need to start getting into the end zone. To be a No. 1 or No. 2 receiver in the NFL, you have to be able to create space on your own. And it becomes exponentially more difficult in the red zone.

N’Keal Harry is a big, physical wide receiver who is dangerous with the ball in his hands. The only problem? He hasn’t had many opportunities to show what he can do after the catch. This season, he only recorded 33 receptions on 57 targets. And he played in 58% of the offensive snaps across 15 games.

Harry’s most efficient route is the shallow cross, where he is adept at finding the window. But separation is Harry’s worst enemy. If he can fine-tune his route running, he could help the Patriots immensely as a No. 3 receiver. Too much to ask? We’ll find out.

Coming into the NFL as a rookie tight end is incredibly difficult. Your time is split trying to perfect two different roles as an extra offensive lineman and a receiver. And when 2020 restricted everyone’s offseason, that didn’t help Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

However, one could argue they showed enough promise and ability to build on in the coming months. Only time will tell if they’ll get to where the Patriots need them to be, but reserving judgement until then would be wise. They weren’t expected to be Day 1 starters, after all.

Josh McDaniels is at his best when allowed to use multiple personnel groups to take advantage of any mismatches. So if these four players can continue to develop, the Patriots could become a tough team to defend next season.

One thing’s for sure: if these four do not perform at a markedly improved level for the Patriots next season, there will be too many holes to fill on offense for the third straight season. And that will be true no matter who plays quarterback.

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