After watching the Patriots' offense struggle so much in the Super Bowl against a very good Seattle defense, it was beyond clear where the priorities in free agency and the draft needed to be this offseason. Eliot Wolf and Co. only proved that correct with the players they inevitably signed and drafted, with a clear emphasis on the offense in every way.
Not only did they sign one of the top receivers in free agency in Romeo Doubs, but they also added the much-needed depth to the offensive line, headlined by Alijah Vera-Tucker, and eventually, double-dipped at a few positions in the draft, as well.
And while their efforts were certainly notable and, for the most part, applauded, there were still concerns about whether the receiving corps was improved enough after letting go of Stefon Diggs in the spring, which led the Patriots to a trade for A.J. Brown.
But before they got there, they had been considering all their options in free agency, which included bringing a hometown player back to Boston after winning a Lombardi Trophy with the Seahawks.
Wide receiver Jake Bobo, who is widely known for his link to New England, piqued the Patriots' interest for a number of reasons, and although a deal never came to fruition, as he returned to the Seahawks on a new deal, it would have been beyond satisfying to see the Patriots steal a playmaker from the team that just beat them in the biggest game of all.
The Patriots could have made the offseason sweeter by stealing an overlooked Seahawks' star
The Patriots went into free agency knowing they would have to consider any and all possible additions to their offense if they wanted to see any improvement and give Drake Maye the kind of talent to help elevate the group.
That included looking into a player like Bobo, who might not have a career that jumps out and impresses you, but has the consistency that could have made him a solid choice to add to the ever-changing receiving corps.
That was one of the reasons the Patriots showed interest, and Bobo shared his family's excitement when he told them he had spoken to his hometown team. As we know, a deal wasn't reached, but the point remains that they were very close to stealing a weapon from Seattle after a beatdown in the Super Bowl.
“They were. And I made the mistake of telling my mom that, who then got very, very excited. She doesn’t realize there are varying degrees of ‘sniffing around.’ I think once the Pats realized what they might have to pay the slow, skinny white kid, I think they bowed out of it.”
Given that his best season was a year he recorded 19 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns, Bobo is far from what the Patriots needed after releasing Diggs and looking for their next WR1.
However, because they needed help on the offensive line and a player of his size would have been the right guy to be an extra lineman when needed, Bobo had the potential to be useful to the Patriots in different ways than anyone could have initially anticipated.
That's the role he currently fills for the Seahawks, and that would have been invaluable to the Patriots, especially after tight end Julian Hill suffered a season-ending injury. But as we have seen, it wasn't in the cards to bring him back home.
Instead, Bobo will run it back with the team that he won a Super Bowl with, and hopefully, he will watch the Patriots win the next one.
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