Patriots: Should Golden Tate rumors intrigue fans ahead of camp?
By Jerry Trotta
If you can believe it, most of the Patriots’ starting offensive lineup for 2021 is already set with training camp still a few weeks way.
Of course, there’s still a decision to be made about the quarterback position, as Cam Newton and Mac Jones will reportedly battle it our for the starting job at camp.
Outside of that, the offensive line locked and loaded. As far as the wide receiving corps is concerned, the top three spots are pretty much set in stone.
You also have Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith as the Patriots’ starting tight ends.
Getting back to the WR unit, N’Keal Harry’s trade request, assuming the Patriots unload him before Week 1, will open up another spot on the final roster. The remaining options on the roster leave a lot to be desired, so could New England look to make a late offseason addition?
It’s anyone’s guess what Bill Belichick is scheming. However, if he was interested in signing another pass catcher, Golden Tate is rumored to have interest in signing with the Pats.
Free agent WR Golden Tate has interest in joining the #Patriots, per source.
— Justin Ramos (@NEPinsider) July 12, 2021
How should Patriots fans feel about the Golden Tate rumors?
It’s tough to say, but we’d probably side against the Patriots adding Tate. As things stand, the offense already has Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and the aforementioned Henry and Smith as its top five pass catchers. While that group lacks a premium No. 1 option, is there really a glaring need for another undersized receiver? Probably not.
Tate has enjoyed a solid career — he averaged 93 catches for 1,063.5 yards and seven touchdowns from 2014-2017 — but he’s entering his age-33 campaign and is fresh off complaining about a lack of volume with the New York Giants last season.
We know Belichick likes taking fliers on ousted veterans, but Tate hasn’t tallied more than 74 catches since 2017. You can’t even blame the fact he was part of the Giants’ dysfunctional offense, either, as he was outperformed by Darius Slayton, the oft-injured Sterling Shepard, and stone-for-hands tight end Evan Engram over his last two seasons in the Big Apple.
Let’s be honest. If Tate couldn’t emerge as a consistent threat in that Giants offense, what evidence is there to suggest he could be that guy for the 2021 Patriots, who now have a lot of mouths to feed (don’t forget about the three running backs) on that side of the ball?
Throw in the fact that Tate has a PED suspension on his resume and you’ll come to the realization that he and the Patriots really aren’t a match made in heaven … or at all.
