New England Patriots : Wide Receiver position is weaker than you think
By Justin Keene
Veteran re-emergence?
Jordan Matthews is another receiver who made his way to New England this offseason via free agency. Matthews will be entering his 5th season in the NFL. He has proven to be a reliable player, as he has played in at least 10 games in each of his 4 NFL seasons.
This past season with Buffalo was his worst yet, as he played in 10 games and posted a career low in receptions with 25, yards with 282 and just one touchdown. Brady will also look to build a connection with the young receiver as well.
2018 will be Phillip Dorsett’s second season with the Patriots. Coming to New England via trade with the Indianapolis Colts, the third year wide out played in 15 games while catching 12 balls for 194 yards and no touchdowns. The concern level here isn’t as high as it is with other players at the WR position, as already having a year in the New England offense helps out a lot. Brady will be looking to the 25-year-old more often than you would think, especially in the first 4 games of the season with Edelman out.
Cordarrelle Patterson is yet another new name for the New England Patriots.
Acquired in a trade with the Oakland Raiders in March earlier this year, Patterson has most notably made a name for himself in the NFL with his electric kick and punt return abilities. Patterson will be entering his 6th season in the NFL in 2018. He has played in all 16 games in his career.
The transition to New England will be tough, as he has previously played with the Minnesota Vikings and Oakland Raiders. His best season was 2016 with the Vikings, as he caught 52 passes for 453 yards and 2 touchdowns. Patterson is a very fast player and can get downfield rather quickly, so hopefully Brady will be looking to chuck it deep for Patterson this season.