Patriots: 3 wide receivers Bill Belichick must avoid this offseason

All eyes will be on the New England Patriots this offseason to see who they bring in as Cam Newton’s replacement under center after they reportedly decided to let him test free agency following his inconsistent season under center in 2020.

While trading for an established star would give the Patriots the best chance to get back into the playoffs, signing a veteran on the cheap or selecting one of the top prospects in the first round of the draft would equip them with the flexibility to spend more money on their myriad of other roster blemishes.

When you consider that the Patriots are desperate for reinforcements at wide receiver, tight end, defensive end, and linebacker, it would probably behoove them to choose one of the latter two options. Speaking strictly in terms of the wide receiver position, there will be no shortage of options to choose from in free agency.

Like any free agent class, however, there are always a handful of red flags that competent organizations normally look to avoid. The same can be said for the 2021 WR class, so let’s attempt to highlight some names that the Patriots should cross off their shopping list of potential solutions at the position.

The Patriots should stay away from these three receivers this offseason.

3. TY Hilton

If they can help it, the Patriots tend to avoid breaking the bank to land a high-profile receiver, and that’s been evidenced by their numerous deals with veteran journeymen over the years. However, this offseason simply must be a different story, as 2020 breakout phenom Jakobi Meyers was really the only member of their WR corps that proved he deserves a future with the team.

That makes impending free agent TY Hilton a no-go in our books. While the longtime Colts star proved during the second half of the campaign that he still has the potential to be a No. 1 wideout at this stage of his career, his disappearing act for the first several games — he logged just one game over 60 receiving yards through Week 11 — indicated that he’d be better served as the second option of a passing attack.

Not to mention that he’ll turn 32 in the middle of next season, so for those who think the former third-round pick has enough gas left in the tank to be an elite receiver, it likely isn’t going to last much longer.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you that the Patriots should look elsewhere this offseason, Hilton has also missed time due to injury in each of the last three seasons. That included a stretch in 2019 when he was sidelined two separate times with lower leg injuries. For a player who relies so much on his trademark speed to create separation from defensive backs, that’s less- than ideal, and we seriously hope the Patriots don’t pursue him this offseason.

2. AJ Green

Based on name appeal alone, you have to think that AJ Green will have a plethora of suitors lined up with a blank check for his services. Given his long-standing status as one of the top receivers in the league, it’s admittedly difficult to argue with any team that’s incentivized to bring him aboard.

However, we simply can’t unsee the seven-time Pro Bowler’s startling regression over the last two seasons. For starters, he missed the entirety of the 2019 campaign after suffering multiple setbacks with an ankle injury that he suffered during preseason workouts. In need of a big bounce back year to prove he was deserving of a new contract, Green posted an absolute stinker while being partnered with No. 1 overall pick Joe Burrow for most of the season.

Though he appeared in all 16 games, Green registered just 47 receptions for 523 yards and two touchdowns, the latter two of which marked new career-lows. To put how underwhelming his season was into perspective, he compiled 46 catches for 694 yards and six scores in seven fewer games and on 27 fewer targets in 2018.

Being a veteran who likely won’t command a ton of money on the open market, Green fits the exact profile of a receiver the Patriots like to bring in. However, if the last two seasons were any indication, the former No. 4 overall pick is a shadow of the perennial superstar he was for the first eight years of his career.

1. JuJu Smith-Schuster

Wait, so the No. 1 player on this list just so happens to flaunt the ideal age and skillset of a dream free agency WR signing? That’s right, and unfortunately for JuJu Smith-Schuster, his inclusion mostly has nothing to do with his receiving talent.

We love what Smith-Schuster offers from a football perspective, but there were far too may occasions this season where he seemed more concerned about his TikTok following than contributing to wins. The former second-round pick’s shenanigans reached the point of no return during the first round of the playoffs, when he broke out in dance (mid play, no less) while the undermanned Browns were absolutely steamrolling his heavily-favored Steelers.

As if that wasn’t enough to scare off potential free agent suitors, Smith-Schuster also provided opponents with bulletin board material on a consistent basis in 2020 by doling out entirely unwarranted criticism. Doing so not only put a target on his back — though he paid the ultimate price by getting walloped against the Bengals — but on his teammates’ blindside as well, and that is a major red flag for the Patriots, who have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to such antics.

The bottom line is that Smith-Schuster is far too inconsistent for the Patriots to even consider coaching him up from a maturity standpoint. For context, the 24-year-old has compiled fewer receiving yards over the last two seasons combined (1,383) than he did during his 2018 Pro Bowl campaign alone, when he finished fifth in the league with 1,426 receiving yards.

Nothing more needs to be said, folks. If it were up to us, we’d jump at the chance to sign one of the likes of Allen Robinson, Chris Godwin, Kenny Golladay or even a Will Fuller or Curtis Samuel before we’d consider pursuing Smith-Schuster.

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