The first day of free agency was certainly a win for the Patriots, as they made multitudes of upgrades, making quality use of the most salary cap space in the NFL. Most of them were on the defensive side of the ball.
While the defense ultimately needed some retooling and will keep the Patriots in games next season, Drake Maye is eagerly waiting for who will be a part of his offense in 2025. New England made some solid moves in bringing back tight end Austin Hooper and signing offensive tackles Morgan Moses and Wes Schweitzer, but there is a lot of work to be done on that side of the ball.
That remains true at wide receiver, and even though Tee Higgins is off the board unless New England swings a blockbuster trade with Cincinnati and Cooper Kupp signed a 3-year deal with Seattle, the market is full of steady pass-catchers.
Ranking the best available wide receivers the Patriots can still sign
1. Amari Cooper
Cooper is 30 years old and coming off the two least productive seasons of his career, including a dismal 20-catch output last season in Buffalo.
However, Cooper has proven himself in the NFL as a top wide receiver and undoubtedly has something to prove after being unproductive the last two seasons. Just two seasons ago, he put up 1,250 yards on 72 receptions in Cleveland, but he had to deal with the drama surrounding Deshaun Watson and didn't seem to connect well with Josh Allen in Buffalo.
Cooper is a guy that the Patriots will probably have to overpay for, but at this juncture he represents the best and biggest upgrade for a wide receiver room that sorely needs it. New England can't afford to stand pat at this position, and settling for Mack Hollins won't cut it.
2. Brandin Cooks
Cooks has bounced around the league throughout his career, including a stop in New England in 2017, the year the Patriots made the Super Bowl.
What does that mean? It means that Cooks is familiar with the schemes that Josh McDaniels runs, so bringing Cooks in on a cheap contract (two years maximum) could ultimately give Maye the outside speed he needs.
Cooks is another guy on the back nine of his career, like most of the free agents available at this position, but he's a steady veteran who has stayed on the field throughout his career.
3. Stefon Diggs
Another guy coming off a down 2024 (47 catches, three touchdowns), Diggs is undoubtedly looking for a fresh start, especially after tearing his ACL.
While a lot of experts feel he's done, let's remember that Diggs had four consecutive 100-catch seasons in Buffalo, and when healthy, he's one of the top wideouts in the league.
Diggs represents the "WR1" needed in New England, but the Patriots should be careful about offering him too much money, given that he's coming off a serious knee injury.
4. Keenan Allen
Allen is another guy on the back nine of his career, but had 70 catches last season for a putrid Chicago team that like the Patriots, had its challenges offensively.
Allen is 32 years old but is a big target at 6'2'' and still has the ability to stretch the field and snatch 50-50 balls with the best of them. He did haul in seven touchdowns last year and had a 108-catch season in 2023.
Allen certainly would be asked to play the top receiver role if the Patriots could sign him, and because of his age, teams may be afraid to throw big money at him. However, the Patriots may not have to overpay for Allen.