Matthew Judon's recruiting skills could convince top receivers to sign with Patriots
Mr. Recruiter is back on his game this offseason, as Matthew Judon is already doing the work of a team's general manager, trying to smooth talk his way into convincing top players to sign with New England.
He first started the recruiting last offseason, taking a shot on social media to some of the top pending free agents at the time. Patriots fans loved it, especially since most felt Bill Belichick wasn't doing enough to entice the type of players the team needed, and Judon is continuing his work this year.
So far, Judon reposted a photo of Tee Higgins to his Instagram stories, altering the caption to say Patriots in hopes of snagging the top receiver. Higgins has been a highly speculated player connected to the Patriots as one of their top options to pursue over the last two years.
But most reports have shared that the Bengals intend to at least franchise tag him if a contract extension cannot be agreed to this offseason.
The Matthew Judon recruitment tour is back on.
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) February 16, 2024
The linebacker reposted a picture of WR Tee Higgins and wrote ‘#Patriots’ over ‘Bengals’.
(IG: man_dammn9) pic.twitter.com/kG2gprBeUh
Judon followed that up by targeting another wide receiver that most Patriots fans would love to see suit up in Foxboro: Mike Evans. He tweeted earlier this week asking Pats Nation what they thought of "Mr. 1,000," as Evans has recorded 1k yards in all ten seasons he's been in the NFL.
What do we think of mr. 1000 @MikeEvans13_ to Pats nation????
— Matthew Judon (@man_dammn) February 22, 2024
There have been rumors of Evans being on the Patriots' radar this offseason, with many outlets believing they are the most likely team to sign him when free agency begins next month. They certainly have the cap space to do so, but because several wide receiver-needy teams will highly seek after him, the Patriots will have to dish out the big bucks to beat out all the others, even more so this offseason since the team is in rebuild mode.
They may have the upper hand with Evans' connection to Tom Brady, who could give him the lowdown on what it's like to play in Foxboro. It may be a bit trickier now that Bill Belichick is gone, but hopefully, the quarterback will put in a good word.
Either Evans or Higgins would be stellar signings for the Patriots offense who have desperately needed a clear WR1. It'll be even more critical next season with so much uncertainty surrounding who will be the team's quarterback.
Whether it's Mac Jones, a veteran signed in free agency, or a rookie drafted this year, signing a receiver of their caliber would ensure they are set up for success immediately, ultimately benefitting the entire team.