New England Patriots: 5 post-free agency needs to fill in 2021 NFL Draft

Third, the New England Patriots need a top wide receiver.

Panic alert! This in no way means to suggest that the Patriots take a wideout in the first two or three rounds. No way. Their track record is abysmal. Or worse.

This suggestion says draft in the fourth and lower rounds. Take a couple or a few.

The Patriots’ wide receiver situation is still iffy. They have the recently signed Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne. If things work out, maybe they’ll catch 50 apiece. That’s decent production but not earth-shattering, by any means.

Yet, if Edelman is back (a really big “if and maybe looking increasingly unlikely), and Jakobi Meyers continues to improve, they may be ok. They need to bring in a few guys in the draft who can play, but not too high up, please.

Bring in several in varying rounds and hope against hope that at least one makes the grade. That’s all that can be expected from a New Patriots’ personnel operation that in the past has flopped on several second-round receivers who couldn’t catch a basketball.

Will Mr. Kraft’s irritation make a difference? Can’t wait to find out.