Patriots: 4 acquisitions that could help New England turn everything around

2. Kenny Golladay

Don’t let Kenny Golladay’s lost 2020 make you forget how great he is.

If the Patriots are serious about replenishing their offense this offseason, then they should absolutely push the envelope to add two receivers in free agency. Corey Davis would be a welcomed addition, but he hasn’t necessarily proven capable of handling No. 1 wideout duties over his first four seasons in the league.

A player that doesn’t have the same issue, however, is Kenny Golladay, who failed to agree to a contract extension in the final year of his deal with Detroit despite repeated efforts from the front office to get him locked up. With the Lions embracing a rebuild after trading Matthew Stafford, Golladay is probably incentivized to get out of there as soon as humanly possible.

Assuming the Patriots get their hands on a capable quarterback, they can offer Golladay a similar role to the one he held with Detroit. Throw in the fact that they have the requisite cap space to meet his likely lofty demands, and we truly couldn’t think of a better fit for the 2019 Pro Bowler.

A hip injury ultimately derailed his contract year, but Golladay was as productive as any receiver in the league two years ago, ranking first in touchdowns (11), third in yards per reception (18.3) sixth in yards per target (10.3), and seventh in receiving yards (1,169) to go with 65 catches. Those numbers prove that he can take the top off of opposing defenses, and that’s something the Pats have desperately missed from the WR position over the last two campaigns.