My thoughts are, Smith will have a rebound year, and be an explosive weapon for Jones. Same thing with Agholor. Add in Devonte Parker, and this offense will definitely be improved, which is exciting, since the Pats were #6 in points scored.
I think looking at this division's leader, the question quickly becomes one of how we got better and is it enough in a shootout. I usually don't go that way but we haven't shown that anything but weather can stop Josh Allen. So what's our best shot to be different and better when it matters?
I think we have more to choose from in the backfield AND at WR. I don't think Parker gives us anthing different or "more" he just helps us not run out of competent receivers once you're at WR 2, 2, or 3. Many No. 2s across the board - him, Meyer, Bourne, Agholar unless he steps up in this the decision year as a deep threat. With the raiders he nearly topped 900 yards in '20, then fell off sharply here, with a rookie QB without the time or tendency to air it out. It could change if that's what was stopping him, with another year of MacDevelopment. By the way I want to suggest that if Jones has a really torrid streak we call it a Mac Flurry.
For difference-makers you have to look to Tre Nixon and possibly TyThorn (today's nickname, not to be confused with TyMonty in the backfield).
Both of them have that elusive speed trait... Tre Nixon is everybody's pick to step up and was THE standout in minicamp, so the binkie leader. Thornton obviously wins any footrace on this team, but we will see what that translates to and when... I think by the point when we were drafting the 10th receiver off the board, we -- and others -- were willing to roll the dice on that speed trait and other decent supporting evidence. We'll see. He might be a blazing fast dark horse candidate to make noise, but he is still a dark horse. Kristian Wilkerson is a sneakyish pick to actually add something, but I'm scared to put too much stock in that one.
Jonnu Smith is a guy who got 1/2 of the shoot-the-moon, freespending tight end money. We double dipped, reasoning that at least one of them would have HH's production, and one of them did. I am sure we'd love if both of them did. Do we have enough 2 TE (passing) sets to feed them both, and will a step up for Mac affect how often he can look for both, if that was part of the Jonnu issue last year? Imunno. I'd love to see Jonnu not lost (which he looked at times) and not disappearing. He was an average TE. I'd love to see him start playing at the high end.
So X factor? I guessss.... extending drives etc. always benefits from a stacked roster of qualified targets and we have that, and we'll have it that much more if Jonnu blooms. I see the X factor in the passing game coming from (1) Mac Jones [if so enabled by o-line play] and (2) A speed guy panning out. That could include Nelson Ahlgolong but we have at least one other guy in the 4.4 neighborhood, and TyThorn in the sub-4.3 neighborhood. Extra production might be X factor junior, but I'll believe it when I see it.
I am not used to spewing bromides about "taking the top off a defense" or "stretching the field" or whatever cliche is current right now, but dude, we're looking across the field at Josh Allen. Guess we need to get used to counting our firepower for the shootouts.
Edit: I didn't realize Wilkerson also has 4.46 speed, and is 6'1, not taller. I guess I went by (bad) memory... I dont see him coming out of nowhere in camp but again, you never know. He definitely made the best of the Jags opportunity last year and has chemistry w M Jones. I originally characterized him as "big" in this post, and he's beefy but not super tall at 6'1, 225. Very quick, pretty fast, very in tune with Mac. Hmmmm. Let's wait for camp before I get crazy.
