After addressing perhaps the biggest need in the first round by selecting left tackle Will Campbell, they were expected to stick with the offense in Round 2, with the likeliest pick being a wide receiver based on who was still on the board.
Because they only added Stefon Diggs in free agency, an impressive veteran coming off an ACL injury, adding more depth and explosiveness to the receiving corps is a must, especially for Drake Maye to be successful in year two. That inevitably led to players like Luther Burden and Jayden Higgins being the top targets with the No. 38 pick, which fans were excited about.
But Higgins was the first receiver taken at No. 34 by the Texans, leaving Burden on the board by the time the Patriots were on the clock. It seemed like the obvious pick, only for them to turn the draft on its head and take running back TreVeyon Henderson instead.
While Henderson is beyond impressive on the ground and even as a blocker, passing on a player like Burden could haunt Mike Vrabel, especially since the Bears took him with the following pick.
The Patriots need to hope they don't have another Ladd McConkey mistake from this year's draft
Although there's a nearly impeccable argument that Henderson is a far better player to take early than Ja'Lynn Polk last year, there is room for concern about passing on Burden and then hearing his name called right after.
It is a staunch reminder of what happened last year when the Patriots traded back and passed on McConkey to take Polk instead, then being burned by the Charger when they came to Gillette in Week 17. Comparing his production to Polk's nearly nonexistence is New England's latest draft mistake; hopefully, passing on Burden won't be the same this year.
There is some speculation about that possibility, though, especially since the Patriots'' receiving corps is still among the worst in the league and they have only improved it slightly by adding Diggs in free agency. His injury makes him a questionable acquisition, and the rest of the receivers didn't play all too well last year, so taking a player like Burden could have been a big problem solver.
There are still some receivers left on the board if they decide trading up is worth it, as they don't pick again until early in the third round at No. 69. It might be what they need to do if they want to snag a receiver before it's too late, despite also desperately needing a pass rusher, to.