The New England Patriots still have a wide receiver problem entering the second week of free agency. There are still some veteran free agents available who could fit.
If the New England Patriots are going to have a shot at a seventh Super Bowl title, they will have to get their 41-year-old quarterback some help at the wide receiver position.
Yes, Tom Brady has a history of turning average wide receivers into solid contributors, but at this point in his career, it would be nice if the team gave him some viable weapons to work to.
Entering free agency with only Julian Edelman as the only experienced wide receiver under contract, it was highly anticipated that the Patriots would obtain one of the top free agents available.
After losing out on Adam Humphries, Cole Beasley and Golden Tate, the defending Super Bowl champions still have a void at the position. They did re-sign Phillip Dorsett and signed free agents Bruce Ellington and Maurice Harris, but those are depth pieces at best.
In summary, the Patriots can’t simply depend on Josh Gordon getting reinstated or the promise of second year receiver Braxton Berrios or whichever draft prospect they select. They need a reliable receiver Tom Brady can count on. Someone who can complement what Julian Edelman in the offense.
Mainly, they need a receiver who can stretch the field and be a threat outside the numbers. There are still some short-term fits out there and here are three free agent wide receivers who would be a nice fit in New England.
A very cheap, but possibly rewarding option is Rishard Matthews.
A former seventh-round pick, Matthews had his best seasons in the NFL in 2016 and 2017.
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Following an above average season with the Miami Dolphins in 2015, Matthews signed with the Tennessee Titans where he put together back-to-back solid seasons. In 2016, he nearly hit the 1,000-yard receiving mark with 65 receptions for 945 yards and 9 touchdowns.
He did drop off in 2017 but was still a solid contributor with 53 receptions for 795 yards. His production and playing time considerably dipped in 2018 which eventually led to his release from the Titans near the end of the season.
Rishard Matthews signed with the New York Jets, but there were rumors or at least thoughts of the New England Patriots picking him up when they were in need of wide receiver depth.
After a down year, Matthews is exactly the type of player the Patriots typically target at the position. He is approaching 30, but if he can come close to replicating the seasons, he had in 2015 and 2016 with the Titans, he would be a nice pickup.
Of course, that depends on whether he could build chemistry with Tom Brady. If you remember, the New England Patriots brought in another Matthews (Jordan Matthews) last year who didn’t make it through training camp.
This is a low-risk, high-reward situation.
2. Randall Cobb
The Randall Cobb of a couple of years ago would’ve been a top free agent target.
The fact that the 28-year-old receiver is still on the market says something about his decline in production and a lot about a hamstring injury that sidelined him for multiple games in 2018.
Still, Cobb is exactly the type of hard-nosed receiver who would fit with the New England Patriots.
In just nine games played in 2018, Cobb caught 38 passes for 383 yards and two touchdowns. He was still on pace for the type of numbers he put up the two seasons previous when he was healthy.
Although well below the Pro Bowl numbers he put up in his best seasons with the Green Bay Packers, Randall Cobb could still be a viable contributor with a Super Bowl contender and a team with a quarterback on the level of Aaron Rodgers.
A Tom Brady to Cobb connection could be valuable to both players. Brady would have another receiver he could count on to be in the right positions and Cobb would have a situation where he could strive if healthy.
Depending on how long Randall Cobb is on the market, the New England Patriots sign him at a bargain for more than just a one-year deal.
1. Jordy Nelson
When the Oakland Raider released veteran receiver Jordy Nelson a week ago, the New England Patriots instantly became a team connected to him as a free agent landing possibility.
At 34 years old, Nelson is obviously not the type of game-breaking receiver he was during his prime years in Green Bay, but he still has something left in the tank.
In 2018 with the Raiders, Nelson caught 63 passes for 739 yards and three touchdowns. In an Oakland offense that wasn’t that good last season, those are impressive numbers from an aging wide receiver.
With those numbers, Nelson would’ve been third on the Patriots in receiving yards by a receiver behind Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon. If he is able to even produce half of that in 2019, he would be an upgrade from Chris Hogan’s production in 2018.
Nearing the end of his career, one would think Jordy Nelson would want to sign with a team that has a shot at winning a Super Bowl and a team with a veteran quarterback. The New England Patriots would fit that mold, but would he choose the Patriots if other teams, like the Seattle Seahawks offer more money?
Time will tell, but Nelson is definitely a name the Patriots should go hard after on a one-year deal. Remember, the team did bring in Eric Decker a year ago. Unlike Decker, Jordy Nelson should make it through training camp because he has proved he still has something left in the tank physically and a desire to play mentally.