RIpats88

I think we can all agree that behind our secondary wide receiver is a big need for the patriots. We cant rely on this dink and dunk/middle of the field offense..we need that sideline threat who can occasionally catch the long ball.

It would be nice IMO for us to draft the next great WR...but I just dont see it happening. The patriots havent drafted a solid wide receiver since Deion Branch..and even branch was never the prototypical athletic freak...look at how many WR's we have drafted over the years only for them to fail..its definitely a weak spot in our draft....brady has 3 years left on his contract and we cant waste time IMO trying to see if some young WR can learn our system.

The best WR's we have ever had, seem to have come through trades and free agency. thats where bill has usually been best at evaluating WR talent(gaffney/ocho non-withstanding)

if I'm bill I go hard after Brandon Lloyd in free agency..we already know he knows the system and wants to play with Josh McDaniels...maybe we can get him for a discount if he really wants McDaniels.

im just salivating at the idea of Lloyd bring defenders to the sideline while Gronk/Ahern/Welker go in the middle of the field

Onedaful

I feel like if we can get any receiver that can stretch the field to open up the middle and keep the defense honest would be a beautiful thing for our offense. I know some people don't agree with it but like you I would love for Brady to have a go to sideline receiver. Vote goes to FA by the way.

SpaceOdyssey

I'd say FA, drafting has always been busts in the WR department. It might be also due to the Patriots' complex system that they run. Also, we need someone that thinks like Brady, can stretch the field (deep threat), and run the route tree.

MP-Logick

Depends how much money Welker and Lloyd both want...

I still expect a WR or two to be drafted anyway, it's possibly the deepest position this year.

PATSYLICIOUS

I'm also on the Lloyd bandwagon. If he can be had around $4-5 mill/year it'll be well worth the risk. The Vincent Jacksons are going to be way too expensive and furthermore they're less likely to fit here than Lloyd IMO.

Drafting WR's is a lost cause, come this draft it will be 10 years since we drafted a good WR. Sure they can use a lower rd. pick if they want but please nothing higher. Branch I wouldn't mind back on the cheap. Welker/Lloyd/Branch/Edelman/Slater next year, Underwood or a lower round pick if they have a good preseason.

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Jangles

Has to be F/A

I feel like members of this board could scout the WR position better than whoever the Pats pay to do it.

JFK

I say both. Colston/Lloyd/Wallace and welker in FA and draft any WR that falls to between pick 31 and our first 2nd round pick

mgteich

Sign Welker and two free agents (perhaps Branch and Lloyd). We have plenty of cap money to do this.

AndyJohnson

There arent really enough balls to go around for 2 starting calliber WRs.
Welker, Gronk and Hernandez caught 291 passes for 3800 yards and 33 TDs.
To add 2 starting caliber WRs we would have to change the offense and direct it away from these 3.
That seems like change for change sake, but more importantly we need the cap money on the other side of the ball, IMO.

Ron Sellers

I still don't understand why so many people want to spend lots of money on a player that would be the 4th option on offense, more than spending that same money on a defensive end, outside linebacker, corner or safety.

Despite the final score of the final game of the 2011 season the defense is still in more of a need of an upgrade than the offense is.