Former first-round receiver could be on the Patriots radar during roster cuts

One of the priorities of the Patriots offseason was to weaponize the offense, which they have accomplished to a degree, but their efforts to make the roster even better is what's most noteworthy. Their pursuits of Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk proved there was a new regime in town willing to spend the big bucks to bring in top talent to put the team over the top.

Although they failed to convince Ridley New England should be his next team, and backed out of their deal on the table for Aiyuk, there are a few other trade options they could pursue, some more impressive than others.

The ongoing saga between the Cowboys and CeeDee Lamb is a situation worth monitoring, especially if Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf still desire adding a receiver of his caliber to the roster for Drake Maye to work with for years to come.

But if that doesn't pan out or Lamb inevitably remains in Dallas, there are other players to watch, mainly around roster cutdowns later this month. One of whom is a former first-round pick.

The Patriots can add Jahan Dotson to their list of possible trade targets

At this stage in the 2024 offseason, there aren't many players left for a team like the Patriots wanting to add a top-name receiver. They nearly exhausted all their options over the last few months to accomplish that, besides a serious pursuit of Bengals' Tee Higgins, with most desirable players locking up extensions already.

However, with roster cutdowns coming up, the Patriots are in a good position to acquire talent via the waiver wire and could explore more less headline worthy trades before Week 1.

One name to watch out for is Commanders' wide receiver Jahan Dotson, who appears to be on the outs with his current team. New head coach Dan Quinn has reportedly been more invested in other pass catchers throughout the summer, leaving Dotson on the outside looking in. This could mean he will be traded, creating an opportunity for the Patriots to add another weapon to their offense.

While Dotson isn't the caliber of player most fans want to see New England acquire, he has all the tools to breakout in an offense more suited for him. Washington has been a mess of a franchise for many years and has gone through just as many quarterbacks, making any receiver besides Terry McLaurin struggle to shine.

That's the fate the 2022 first-rounder has dealt with over the last two seasons, but he has still managed to record 84 receptions for 1,041 yards and 11 touchdowns.

He would be a cheap option to trade for, as he is still on a rookie contract. Unless GM Adam Peters asks for a ridiculous return for Dotson, the Patriots could add another solid weapon for Brissett and Maye to work with, even if it is only through his first NFL contract.

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