2022 Free Agent Receivers - Will the Patriots Target One?

[50-yard-line]

Prediction: Adam Humphries. 3 years.

He's fallen off the face of the earth and will be cheap, as he's only 28. He's also a pure slot guy, iirc, and needs a new home.

 

[captain stone]

Was looking at this list and I thought it would be interesting to see which one of these guys - if any - New England goes after:



Obviously a lot of the talk is going to center around some of the other big names, but one name that's sort of intriguing is Smith-Schuster. Reports seem to indicate he's done in Pittsburgh and I wonder if he's a guy who could be on their radar. At 25, this is sort of the opportune time to bring him in when you're looking to build on a young, talented nucleus. But overall, definitely an interesting group of names.

Yeah out of that list JuJu combines talent, youth & possible affordability the best... and Emmanuel Sanders should've been a Patriot for the past 2-1/2 seasons...

BTW Ian, thanks for the latest icons update; the gang's all here now!

 

[PatsFan2]

Michael Gallup kind of intriguing coming off late season ACL injury decent guy on a cheap one year prove it though the timing of his injury sucks. It's said he might be ready to go by August Hmmmm.

 

[PatsFan2]

Prediction: Adam Humphries. 3 years.

He's fallen off the face of the earth and will be cheap, as he's only 28. He's also a pure slot guy, iirc, and needs a new home.

Completely forgot about that guy.

 

[DaBruinz]

They probably won't, of course - I just threw that name in because they have money and were close last year. 2019 Ridley is better than Higgins.

I really don't see anyone doing it.

2019 Ridley had Julio Jones opposite him and Matt Ryan throwing him the ball. And no. That wasn't better than 2021 Higgins unless, somehow fewer yards and fewer yards per catch is somehow a good thing..

 

[PatsFan2]

The Patriots WR core/corps just need a legit #2 or #1 to put them over the Top. Bourne and Myers would thrive with a guy of that caliber. DJ Chark wants out of Jacksonville he's sick and tired on the inconsistent QB play intriguing Big prospect who would exorcise the Ghost of N'Keal Harry.

 

[DaBruinz]

Prediction: Adam Humphries. 3 years.

He's fallen off the face of the earth and will be cheap, as he's only 28. He's also a pure slot guy, iirc, and needs a new home.

Nope. Humphries snubbed the Patriots before and Meyers has shows to be just as good as Humphries.

 

[captain stone]

I think we will be priced out of the top wr free agents.

Agreed.

I've been thinking about this for the past week or two and I am more inclined to think that we target a wr in the draft(either in the 1st or 2nd round).

I wouldn't target one that early, not ahead of CB, DT & DE... But if Bill can acquire another Day 2 pick via trade-down from #21, then I would absolutely target the best available WR or Mac's buddy John Metchie with that extra pick.

Another name that I noticed is a free agent is Braxton Barrios, not as high profile as the ones listed, but he is a very good return man and has improved a lot as a wideout. Maybe a name to keep an eye on.

Yeah I was in favor of keeping Gunner ahead of Berrios because of Gunner's potential as a WR, but that potential hasn't emerged so in retrospect it doesn't look like I made the right call there.

 

[50-yard-line]

2019 Ridley had Julio Jones opposite him and Matt Ryan throwing him the ball. And no. That wasn't better than 2021 Higgins unless, somehow fewer yards and fewer yards per catch is somehow a good thing..

I meant 2020 Ridley.

 

[50-yard-line]

Nope. Humphries snubbed the Patriots before and Meyers has shows to be just as good as Humphries.

Meyers could be gone this year and is a UFA next year unless they get a deal done. Humphries cited Brady's age as why he chose TN - his mistake.
Big deal.

Bourne is the ONLY NFL caliber receiver signed after this year. The Pats are CAP tight this year, but not next or beyond. They should be looking to get a draft pick and a vet on at least a 2-yeaar deal for some continuity. They wanted Humphries before - he had injuries and never got in sync with TN and did little with WFT this last year. he needs a home that knows how to use a slot receiver (and I'd take him over Meyers in the slot - if they can even manage to keep Meyers, he can play all over).

I don't see a lot of possibilities out there in FA unless they uncharacteristically shoot for the stars. Do you?

 

[NormZauchin]

Yep don't see it either with the history with Terry Glenn and Josh Gordon seems too deja vu.

I'd take him in a heartbeat if he could equal Terry Glenn's numbers here. Ignoring Glenn's last season in New England, where he only played in four games, in his five other seasons he averaged 893 yards/season and 14.6 yards per catch.

 

[Ian]

I agree receiver shouldn't necessarily be a focus - at least $$-wise - but there's no denying they need one given the current group. They're essentially one guy away from making the current guys more effective. We saw how much better they each looked with even Wilkerson out there when Harry was a healthy scratch. It was noticeable.

Remove Harry from the equation and replace him with someone who can contribute as an actual receiving threat and it changes the landscape quite a bit. It would be great if they could build from within and have someone else step into the role, but I feel like if you bring someone in, all of a sudden, Agholor, Meyers and Bourne all become that much better.

The obvious question is can they grab someone with some elusiveness and decent hands to compliment the guys here at a cost they can afford. They don't need a big-name guy, they just need someone who can consistently get open and contribute. If they can do that, I sort of feel like they absolutely should.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Can’t believe after the Patriots tried to pry Sanders away from Pittsburgh as a restricted free agent years ago (effectively landing him a raise), he seemingly shunned them and never ended up here. I don’t know if he has enough left to make a go of it here to be what they need him to be, but that whole situation remains one of the more interesting ones we’ve seen over the years. I forget what year that happened but I feel like he could have been a good player in his prime with Brady.

It's really a shame he didn't end up here. First, Pittsburgh played games and matched the offer in 2013 at the 11th hour just to screw the Pats. In 2014, Sanders told Bill he'd sign with NE if he got the deal Amendola got. Sanders felt he was overpaid and wanted that deal. Bill didn't give it to him. Like Welker, Sanders played games and signed a 3 year $15M dollar offer from the Broncos which was probably similar to what Bill offered.

What's worse is that later Steve Smith went the Derrick Mason moron route and signed with Baltimore stating "weather concerns" and they gave him an offer "he couldn't refuse". NE would've been 2nd on his visit list.

Imagine both of those guys came to NE? They win at least 4 Super Bowls between 2014-2019.

 

[captain stone]

I agree receiver shouldn't necessarily be a focus - at least $$-wise - but there's no denying they need one given the current group. They're essentially one guy away from making the current guys more effective. We saw how much better they each looked with even Wilkerson out there when Harry was a healthy scratch. It was noticeable.

Remove Harry from the equation and replace him with someone who can contribute as an actual receiving threat and it changes the landscape quite a bit. It would be great if they could build from within and have someone else step into the role, but I feel like if you bring someone in, all of a sudden, Agholor, Meyers and Bourne all become that much better.

The obvious question is can they grab someone with some elusiveness and decent hands to compliment the guys here at a cost they can afford. They don't need a big-name guy, they just need someone who can consistently get open and contribute. If they can do that, I sort of feel like they absolutely should.

Yep, the UFA marketplace at WR, or any other position really, is Closed to us this offseason... In fact I'm not going to follow it at all; it's going to have to be the draft & the UDFA marketplace where Bill will find any improvements...

And for that reason it is IMPERATIVE that Bill (with help from Matt Groh & Eliot the Wolf) Very Aggressively trade down, Multiple times if necessary, in order to acquire extra picks, including one on Day 2...

With 4 Day 2 picks I would then target (EXCLUSIVELY) CB, DE, DT... and WR, such as Mac's buddy John Metchie in the 3rd round if his recovery is on schedule...Still not drafting one with either of my first two picks however...

And with my very first pick of Day 3 I am drafting the Best LT Available, Period.

NO RBs or LBs unless Bill somehow winds-up with double-digit picks... Too many holes in both quality AND quantity elsewhere.

And for the love of Ganja, NO FUC-KING SAFETIES OR SPECIAL OLYMPICS TEAMERS!!!


This is the Way.

 

[50-yard-line]

I agree receiver shouldn't necessarily be a focus - at least $$-wise - but there's no denying they need one given the current group. They're essentially one guy away from making the current guys more effective. We saw how much better they each looked with even Wilkerson out there when Harry was a healthy scratch. It was noticeable.

Remove Harry from the equation and replace him with someone who can contribute as an actual receiving threat and it changes the landscape quite a bit. It would be great if they could build from within and have someone else step into the role, but I feel like if you bring someone in, all of a sudden, Agholor, Meyers and Bourne all become that much better.

The obvious question is can they grab someone with some elusiveness and decent hands to compliment the guys here at a cost they can afford. They don't need a big-name guy, they just need someone who can consistently get open and contribute. If they can do that, I sort of feel like they absolutely should.

Adam Humphries?

 

[crawhammer]

I'm reading in the Five Things to Know article that there's some speculation Smith-Schuster would sign a 1-year deal with the Patriots. This sounds like a 1-year prove it deal with an eye toward a bigger longer-term contract in '23. If SS feels like he needs to prove something for a bigger pay day down the road then I don't see him signing on with a run-heavy offense with a young quarterback and possibly Joe Judge calling the plays. Given choices I think SS is definitely looking elsewhere.

Maybe the Patriots should consider bringing back Cordarrelle Patterson? He's got proven versatility and our gadget guy Jonnu was a complete dud. CP can give the return game a boost as well.

 

[Ian]

Saw this photo of Belichick and Smith-Schuster from the Tribune's site:



That was from 2018. Fairly interesting since I don't think he seeks out too many opponents' players after the game unless it means something to him.

 

[Ian]

The tweet from him right after the game about that:

 

[doesntmatter1]

Kirk is young and gets open. 1st choice by far.

 

[captain stone]

Saw this photo of Belichick and Smith-Schuster from the Tribune's site:

View attachment 41362

That was from 2018. Fairly interesting since I don't think he seeks out too many opponents' players after the game unless it means something to him.

The tweet from him right after the game about that:

And that was after the Pats lost, so Bill really made an effort to seek him out... As Arte Johnson would say, verrry interesting...