The conversation surrounding the Patriots for most of the 2024 season has been about Jerod Mayo's unsteady status as the team's head coach beyond this year. Many others on the staff have joined him in that debate, most notably offensive and defensive coordinators Alex Van Pelt and Demarcus Covington.
But there's one other that has seemingly fallen under the radar that should be getting far more attention given how poorly the group he coaches has fared this year.
Tyler Hughes is in his first year as the Patriots wide receivers coach and although the receiving corps has been a hot topic of discussion all season long, most haven't discussed one of the leading problems with the group could be based on who's coaching them.
From the fall of DeMario Douglas after an impressive rookie season and the failed tenure of K.J. Osborn despite putting together a solid career in Minnesota, to the invisibility of rookies Javon Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk, the pass catchers have been an utter mess this year, which has done far more harm than good for rookie quarterback Drake Maye.
Tyler Hughes' future in New England should be numbered based on receivers' performances this year
While it makes sense that Van Pelt would be at the top of the list right under Mayo in question to continue their careers in Foxboro, Hughes shouldn't be too far behind them. One of the biggest weaknesses of the offense has been the wide receivers, which has stunted the growth of Maye and has forced him to improvise scrambles far more than he should be,
There is certainly an argument to be made that Hughes doesn't have the strongest talent to work with, and that might be a significant issue that could impact his success. However, guys like Kendrick Bourne and Douglas have thrived on the team prior to his move to this role, so seeing their drastic fall from their usual performance is noteworthy.
In addition, Polk's disappointing progression has been a leading cause of concern regarding Hughes' fit as the wide receivers coach. Although the former Washington standout wasn't considered a first-round talent, he was still widely considered one of the better second-rounders of the class, mainly due to his reliability and catch success.
We haven't seen that at all this year, and some of that can be blamed on the lack of opportunity. That applies to Baker, too, who had an explosive career at UCF before joining the Patriots last spring.
Because improving the receiving corps is expected to be a focus this upcoming offseason, Robert Kraft might also have to look at who's coaching them and whether Hughes is the right guy for the job. It's difficult to say he's proven he is when the results are far from expectations, and with Maye on the team, the Patriots can't afford to cross their fingers that Hughes will eventually figure it out.