Now that Bill Belichick is out, and Jerod Mayo is in, the New England Patriots have a big offseason ahead. The first wave of free agency is over, and most of the best players are already under contract elsewhere.
One position the Patriots still haven’t addressed is wide receiver. This comes after finishing 31st in scoring, averaging a measly 13.9 points per game. Yet, there isn’t a game-changing weapon still available in free agency that can help transform the Patriots’ offense next season.
The Patriots reportedly tried to sign Calvin Ridley, who just inked a four-year, $92 million contract with the Tennesee Titans on Wednesday.
However, the Patriots do hold the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and as Josina Anderson states, New England has “moved on” from trying to address the receiver position in free agency. Though, most expect New England to use this selection to find their future franchise quarterback, likely whoever’s left between Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.
But that’s not set in stone.
The Patriots also hold the 34th and 68th picks in the first 100 selections and five more draft choices on Day 3. With most of the free agent receivers picked over, New England is expected to address this weakness in the NFL Draft.
It makes a lot of sense for a Patriots team that’s expected to add a young QB to pair him with a dynamic receiver who could develop into a potential star, at a fraction of the cost of a typical splashy free agency signing. Not to mention, this is a very deep class of receivers, meaning it shouldn’t be difficult to find an impact player with the 34th pick, as long as the Patriots pick the right player.
Some of the prospects who could be available at this juncture (if they don’t trade up) include Brian Thomas Jr., Xavier Worthy, and Adonai Mitchell, among others. With the right amount of coaching, any one of them could develop into a Pro Bowl talent.
Related: NFL mock draft 2024: Projecting landing spots for top 2024 NFL Draft prospects