The Patriots Need A Wide Receiver One And Here Are Three Options That They Should Look At This Offseason
Belichick needs to get Mac Jones a big time threat.
Mac Jones is coming off an awesome rookie season and is looking to avoid a sophomore slump and the best way to do that is by adding a wide receiver one to the Patriots roster. Here are three option for the Patriots to do so, all in different forms.
1. Trade for Calvin Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons
I think that Calvin Ridley will definitely be catching passes in a new uniform next season and New England is the perfect place for the Alabama alum. Ridley is twenty seven years old and last season he reeled in 31 balls on 52 targets for 281 yards and 2 touchdowns while only playing in five games.
Last season he stepped away from football because he was dealing with mental health issues, but if he comes back and can play the entire season in New England then he could have top five receiving numbers paired with Mac Jones.
Ridley is a shifty route runner that has deep play ability, but isn’t limited to the deep ball like players like John Ross and D.K. Metcalf. New England worked on building their receiving core last season by adding Kendrick Bourne, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry, and Nelson Agholor, but they’re just missing that dominant pass catcher that can change the trajectory of a game like Ridley.
A trade package for him would look like New England sending tackle Yodny Cajuste, a 2022 second round pick, and a 2023 fourth round pick to Atlanta in exchange for Calvin Ridley. This is a beneficial deal for both squads because it’s uncertain if Ridley will be able to play all seventeen games in a season so it’s a high risk high reward for both teams. His Ridley balls out in New England then the Patriots win and Atlanta loses, but if he takes for time off and doesn’t pan out then the Falcons win by picking up collateral and the Patriots lose by giving up a second round pick.
2. Sign Chris Godwin in Free Agency
The Buccaneers have a lot of players that can walk this offseason as free agents and I don’t think signing Chris Godwin is the teams top priority. New Englands in the market for a player like Godwin and him and Ridley have some similarities as they can take the top off a defense while also killing a team on underneath routes like slants and drags.
With Godwin, the one issue New England will face is that they’ll have to give me a deal for around thirteen to sixteen million a year. They don’t currently have that type of cap room, but after clearing out big veteran deals, they’d be in the position to sign him and maybe one another big name for the defense.
In fourteen games last season, Godwin tallied 98 grabs on 127 targets for 1,103 yards and 5 touchdowns accompanied by a rushing touchdown. What makes New England an enticing destination for Godwin in free agency is that he would be the clear cut number one. He won’t have to fight with Gronk, Mike Evans, and Scotty Miller for targets in Tampa. In addition, the quarterback position in Tampa Bay is uncertain, so going to the Patriots makes the most sense because he’ll have a solidified gunslinger for years to come.
3. Draft Garrett Wilson out of Ohio State in the First Round
The third and final option is the Patriots take a gamble and fish for their new number one in the draft. The Patriots have the twenty first pick in the draft this year and Garrett Wilson is a player that should be available for them. This deal works best for New England financially, but is the riskiest because it’s uncertain if a rookie can be your number one option. It’s worked for the Bengals and Vikings in back to back drafts, so can Bill Belichick make it work with Garrett Wilson.
Last season for Ohio State, Wilson snagged 70 grabs for 1,058 yards and 12 scores. In addition to those numbers, the Austin, Texas native rushed for 76 yards on 4 carries and a touchdown. He’s a dynamic player in a receiver top heavy draft class so I think he’ll be available at twenty one for the Patriots to grab him.
Outside of those three options, this free agent class of pass catchers is LOADED. Godwin isn’t the only guy available and one that New England will target. I think that the Patriots will also target Allen Robinson, Juju Smith-Schuster, or even make a run at Davante Adams.