The New England Patriots made some major changes to their offense this offseason, most notably in the wide receiver room.
A.J. Brown's trade to Foxborough for a first-round pick was among the offseason's most notable moves, while the addition of Romeo Doubs in free agency further fortified the WR2 position.
The team also released Stefon Diggs, their first 1,000-yard receiver since Julian Edelman in 2019, and traded Kayshon Boutte to the Houston Texans after a breakout season.
The offense’s struggles early in the season were no doubt due to the new duo’s lack of involvement. Brown had just 26 yards against the Seahawks before being ruled out of the game and eventually placed on IR with a high ankle sprain, while Doubs didn’t manage a single catch in the opener.
In fact, two of his three targets resulted in an interception and a critical drop.
Brown hasn’t played a game since, but Doubs seems to have turned over a new leaf. After a 96-yard performance in Week 2, he threw two touchdowns in the massive Week 4 win over the Bills on Sunday, including an impressive one-handed effort.
While Brown and Doubs were among the top players available via trade or the open market this offseason, other receivers were also linked to the Patriots. The Colts made Alec Pierce one of the highest-paid players in free agency, while Tennessee gave Wan'Dale Robinson $70 million over four years. A familiar face, Kendrick Bourne, also found a new home in Arizona.
One veteran the Steelers acquired via trade, however, was heavily linked to New England in March. In the end, however, Michael Pittman Jr. was traded to Pittsburgh, and the Patriots shouldn't have any qualms about that.
Missing out on Michael Pittman Jr. is proving to be a blessing in disguise
On March 13, the Steelers acquired Pittman for a swap of late-round picks. With Pierce signing a four-year extension the day before, the move made sense, since Pittman was seeking an extension despite recording his fewest yards in a season (784) since his rookie year in 2020.
The Steelers paid a minimal price in terms of draft picks, but shelled out nearly $20 million per season on a three-year deal to retain Pittman. However, in the first month of the season, he hasn't lived up to that extension.
Playing in three of four games, the former USC Trojan has hauled in just 7 passes on 12 targets for 89 yards: less than 30 yards per game. That average, extrapolated over 17 games, would put him at one more receiving yard than in his rookie season, when he had 503 yards.
Acquiring a veteran with multiple thousand-yard seasons under his belt to make the most of Aaron Rodgers' remaining time was sensible for the Steelers. Extending him was not.
A late-round pick swap is a minimal price and suggests the Colts would have been comfortable releasing him if push came to shove. Despite a career-high seven touchdowns last year, Pittman has seen a reduction in yards each season since 2023.
The Patriots adding Pittman as a rental wouldn't have been a bad idea, but extending him before playing a game would have been just as irresponsible.
While Doubs's start to the year was nothing short of horrific, he's found his stride over the last three games, totaling 12 catches for 203 yards and two touchdowns, both in a pivotal Week 4 win over Buffalo.
While New England didn't have a chance to face Pittman when they faced the Steel Curtain in Week 2, they'll no doubt be pleased they opted for Doubs after seeing the first month of the season.
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