Best available wide receivers for the Patriots in 2024 free agency

Free agency hasn't even officially started, and the Patriots have already missed out on many of the players they were rumored to pursue. The biggest hit to their plans was the number of receivers who will no longer be testing the market next week, increasing their need to find viable weapons ahead of the NFL Draft.

Fortunately, there are a handful remaining that would be worthy of consideration, and hopefully, they can luck out and sign more than one to help put the offense back on the right track.

Best available wide receivers for the Patriots in 2024 free agency

Kendrick Bourne

Although he may not be who Patriots fans were hoping for, Kendrick Bourne returning to New England just became even more imperative after the latest developments at the closing of the franchise tag period.

He has been considered one of the primary players they shouldn't let sign with another team. The "better" options have now been eliminated from contention, and Bourne remains one of the best available receivers left to sign. To make it even clearer that he should remain a Patriot, he's already proven to be exactly what the Patriots need for their offense.

Since signing with the team in 2021, Bourne has recorded the best season of his career and was well on his way to topping that last year before suffering an ACL tear in Week 8 against the Dolphins. He has consistently been one of the most productive weapons for the team, and even during the mess of 2022, he was the spark the offense needed in games that looked hopeless.

Reports have claimed Bourne and New England do not agree on his value despite his voicing his desire to return to the team. Seeing the receiver leave after all he's accomplished over the last three years and what he can still contribute would be a disaster.

Calvin Ridley

Because the top free-agent receivers have already finalized their futures this offseason, with Mike Evans re-signing with the Bucs and both Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. being franchise-tagged, the Patriots will have to go all-in on the final game-changing receiver available if they want to ensure they have one in 2024.

Calvin Ridley is set to test free agency next week and will likely demand a hefty contract for which New England has the funds. He would be a safe bet to invest in, given how well he played last year despite playing just five games in 2021 and missing the entire 2022 season due to his suspension.

He quickly earned Trevor Lawrence's trust and became his go-to target, even over younger and nicely paid Christian Kirk, and recorded the most yards and touchdowns of the entire offense.

It's clear he hasn't missed a step, and although there may be concerns with his age, he's exactly the type of player the Patriots need in building a viable offense for the future. Ridley would make opposing defenses nervous and not have them overlooking the Patriots offense like they have in recent years.

That's almost reason enough to sign him.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Maybe he's not the player he once was when he was practically begging Tom Brady to get him traded to New England, but he's still a proven weapon that any quarterback the Patriots put on the field next season could efficiently utilize.

He proved valuable in the Ravens' offense last season, which was a significant help once star tight end Mark Andrews went down with a season-ending injury. He recorded the second-most yards on the team for the season.

Even though it could be considered a "down year" for Beckham, since he used to finish seasons with double the yards and touchdowns, he would be a clear WR1 for the Patriots and a great mentor to Demario Douglas coming into this second season.

Gabriel Davis

How sweet would it be to steal another player from an AFC East foe?

The Patriots became known for that during the latter half of the dynasty, from Stephon Gilmore and Chris Hogan to Darrelle Revis; nothing was more fun than taking players from the division and making them into stars.

They have the chance to do that again with wide receiver Gabriel Davis, who is set to hit free agency for the first time in his career next week. He has served as a solid piece over the offense over the last four seasons in Buffalo and started becoming more reliable than Stefon Diggs, making him even more appealing for the Patriots, who have an incredible need for offensive help.

Davis would be a great start to the new era, as he's continuously proven to be an underrated player. He's recorded over 1,500 yards over the last two years and averaged 17 yards per reception and seven touchdowns. If he can replicate that in Foxboro, the offense would be in a much better spot.

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