The New England Patriots are in dire need of an upgrade at the wide receiver position. Their lack of talent at wideout was far from the only reason the offense sputtered, but the lack of dynamic weapons considerably lowered their ceiling.
Simply put, no defense is scared of the current group, and the Patriots have very few players in the position who look like keepers.
The team's top receiver for the 2023-24 season, Demario Douglas, finished with just 561 yards, good for 78th in the league. It's an astonishingly low number for an offense playing in a very pass-friendly era of NFL football.
In 2022-23, the defense produced more touchdowns than any individual Pats receiver, proving even more that the situation is dire. The only two consistent threats on last season's roster were Douglas, a small, shifty slot receiver, and Kendrick Bourne, who could depart in free agency this offseason.
Armed with tons of cap space, the Patriots will have a chance to make significant changes to one of the league's weakest position groups. Director of Player Personnel Matt Groh understands the need to add explosiveness to an offense that struggles to create big plays.
Let's take a look at the team's top three free agent options and how they could help the team.
1. Michael Pittman Jr.
Most would expect Tee Higgins to occupy the top spot on this list, but the Cincinnati Bengals will likely franchise tag him, removing an incredibly exciting option for the Pats. But even with that piece off the board, the Patriots could add a player who is good enough to be a decent number-one option (if they draft a quarterback in the first round) or an elite second option (if they decide to go with Marvin Harrison Jr.).
At 26 years old, he's young enough to continue to improve, has had two 1,000-yard seasons to his name in just four seasons in the league despite instability at QB, and has stayed healthy, missing just two games in the last two years.
Pittman isn't the fastest outside receiver, but he's a very reliable target, the kind a quarterback can count on to move the chains. It's easy to imagine him forming a formidable one-two punch with someone like Harrison or helping a young passer like Jayden Daniels grow.
2. Mike Evans
A 30-year-old may seem like an odd choice for a rebuilding team, but his game should age like fine wine. He's a remarkably consistent receiver who has posted at least 1,000 yards in every single season of his career, and he's never played fewer than 13 seasons in a game.
Additionally, he's an absolutely massive target, a 6'5" physical force who can dominate in the red zone (he has five seasons of double-digit receiving touchdowns).
Mike Evans is a truly excellent player, but one who makes more sense if the Patriots are taking a quarterback with the third pick. He could help a young QB develop similar to how Stephon Diggs simplified the game for a young Josh Allen.
3. Darnell Mooney
This was a close call between Darnell Mooney and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, who find themselves in similar situations heading into this offseason. Both are 26, both are speedy but smaller receivers, both had breakout 1,000-yard years in their second NFL season, and neither has returned to that level of production since. Ultimately, I went with the one who didn't finish last season on the injured reserve,
A Mooney signing makes more sense if the Pats acquire a solid first option, either through another free agency signing or via the draft, given his lack of recent production (just 414 yards and one touchdown last year).
It's hard to believe his potential's gone, and he still has big-play potential -- he put up 13.4 yards per reception last year, the same as Calvin Ridley (another attractive option for the Pats who the Jacksonville Jaguars might franchise tag).
It's worth taking a flier on him and seeing if he can re-establish himself as a dangerous receiving threat. After all, he has spent his entire career on the Chicago Bears, playing in one of the league's worst passing attacks. There's a chance he could return to form and give the Pats some of the explosiveness they've been lacking.