New England Patriots Rumors: 2019 offseason targets at wide receiver
By Mike Caliri
The list of wide receivers still under contract on the New England Patriots basically starts and ends with Julian Edelman.
Heading into the 2019 offseason, it is apparent that the New England Patriots need to make some sizable moves in order to contend for their seventh Super Bowl title.
A lot was made of the fact that the Patriots did not surround Tom Brady with enough talent on offense and this is the year where they should make up for it.
The Patriots have a couple of different avenues to give Brady the weapons he needs.
Re-signing options
Phillip Dorsett, Chris Hogan, Cordarelle Patterson and Josh Gordon are all free agents heading into the offseason.
Out of these four players, Dorsett makes the most sense to re-sign. He was not used much last season but was effective when he was. He logged 32 receptions on 42 targets for a catch percentage of 76.2 percent which would have ranked sixth among wide receivers last season. I say “would have,” because he was one target shy of the minimum to qualify for that statistical rank.
Who’s to say that this would carry out with a larger sample size. It may, it may not. It is clear however, that Dorsett knows the offense and seems to have solid chemistry with Brady when he decides to throw to him.
Having familiarity, on an offense that will be largely comprised of new faces, will help things run smoothly. Dorsett could be a solid option as a number three or four wide receiver.
Josh Gordon could also be an option as a restricted free agent, but his suspension status with the NFL is still defined as “indefinite” as he continues to recover and rehabilitate from his substance abuse problem.