New England Patriots: 3 biggest issues to address post-minicamp
The New England Patriots have three issues that need to be addressed before summer camp after completing their mandatory mini-camp.
The team has had a chance now to some extent to view their roster with all or at least most of their players on hand in the recently completed minicamp. Now comes summer vacation for the payers for about 5 plus weeks until camp begins on July 29 in Foxborough.
There seems little doubt that this Patriots team is a big improvement over last season’s.
So let’s explore in a bit more detail what three major issues remain for the team to address before camp. If the New England Patriots are serious about making a playoff run or more, these three areas and maybe others still need to be addressed.
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No. 1: New England Patriots need to trade for a top wide receiver
The first issue that needs to be sorted out has been focused on at length before and won’t be belabored here, it’s adding a top wide receiver to their receiving corps.
The Patriots made a muted statement by not going all-in on a Julio Jones trade and it’s a troubling sign. Jones salary and cap hit was reportedly the issue and it shouldn’t have been.
New England has the cap space and could have freed up more easily and the draft pick cost was not earth-shattering. The most important question to ask about that non-move is, will they fill this position or not?
If not, they will go with a crew that is OK and better than the underwhelming cast from 2020, but it’s still not a playoff-caliber receiver room. There’s one piece of the puzzle and it needs to be put in place and it has to be by trade.
The team at this point has really only the option to trade for a team’s perhaps surplus top wide receiver. One trade to the Rams was suggested. They should trade disgruntled great cornerback Stephon Gilmore if they can’t come to a resolution of his contract demands. If they can’t get together on a contract, just make the move.