The New England Patriots have had an interesting start to their season. They have had stretches where they have gone step for step with the defending Super Bowl champs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have also struggled mightily against the likes of the lowly Houston Texans, as they barely pulled out a victory last weekend.
It all adds up to a 2-3 start for the Pats, which is probably right around where they should be. You can make an argument they are a Damien Harris fumble and a Nick Folk missed field goal away from being a 4-1 team, and you may have a point. Unfortunately, the ball doesn’t always bounce your way, and that’s certainly been the case for this team thus far.
For the most part, the Patriots offense has been hit or miss. Rookie quarterback Mac Jones has looked pretty good with all things considered so far, but he has left a lot to be desired. On paper, he has a lot of talent surrounding him, but they haven’t really showed up for the first five games of the season.
One position that looked like it could use reinforcements coming into the season was the wide receiver room, and that still stands true. They have some solid depth options, but lack a true go-to guy that Jones can always rely on. Here are three potential wide receiver trade targets as we near the middle point of the season.
New England Patriots trade target No. 3: Brandon Aiyuk
Many NFL fans are wondering what on earth is going on with Brandon Aiyuk. After being forced into the top receiver spot for the San Francisco 49ers last season due to an absurd amount of injuries, Aiyuk stepped up and delivered for his club. Aiyuk hauled in 60 passes for 748 yards, and picked up seven total touchdowns (five receiving, two rushing).
This all goes without mentioning this was just Aiyuk’s rookie season, and he looked set to be part of a solid wide receiver duo with Deebo Samuel. Instead, Aiyuk has been a non-factor all season long, and no one seems to know why. Whether it be head coach Kyle Shanahan making confusing comments to the media on his status, or his lack of production when he ends up on the field, Aiyuk has been one of the biggest disappointments of the season.
For reference, Aiyuk has only caught eight passes for 90 yards and one touchdown through the first five games of the season. There were four occasions last season where Aiyuk surpassed that 90 yard tally in just a single game. Whatever the reason may be, it’s clear that his potential is being wasted in San Fran right now.
If the 49ers decide to cut ties with their talented second year wideout, the Patriots should be one of the first teams to get in touch with the Niners front office. Aiyuk has proven to be capable of leading a wide receiver corps last season, and would instantly slot in near or at the top of New England’s depth chart.
If the 49ers openly announce their desire to move Aiyuk, it drop his value considerably. Maybe a potential swap of disappointing young receivers, with New England crafting a package around N’Keal Harry, could work for both sides. Aiyuk’s lack of usage this season has been mightily confusing, and if he ends up being available, he could be a great fit in New England.
New England Patriots trade target No. 2: Odell Beckham Jr.
Odell Beckham Jr. continues to be one of the most polarizing players in the NFL. After becoming an instant breakout star with the New York Giants in 2014, Beckham turned himself into one of the top receivers in the game. He subsequently demanded a trade, ending up on the Cleveland Browns, and has struggled to fit into their scheme and stay healthy.
Health has been a big part of the equation for Beckham, and he just returned to action in Week 3 this season after tearing his ACL midway through the previous season. Over those three games, Beckham has been eased back into action, catching only nine passes for 124 yards. The more interesting piece is his line from his abbreviated 2020 season; 23 receptions, 319 yards, three touchdowns.
It’s clear that Beckham has never really been used up to his potential during his time in Cleveland. Baker Mayfield loves to spread the ball around, and Beckham was used to being the focal point of the offense in a desolate Giants offense. Given his egotistical attitude and lack of involvement in the Browns offense, it feels like Beckham has constantly been involved in trade rumors during his tenure in Cleveland.
If Cleveland does decide to cut ties with the talented Beckham, the Patriots would be one of his top suitors. The Patriots have been linked with a move for Beckham for years, and his value would seemingly be at an all time low. Beckham has made it known that he wants to be more involved in the offense, and his temper may end up boiling over.
Beckham isn’t the same hot commodity he was at the beginning of his career. He turns 29 in less than three weeks, and has only played a full 16 games once over the past five seasons. But everyone knows Beckham has the ability to be one of the best wideouts in the league, and if New England wants to take a shot on him, it very well may end up paying off.
New England Patriots trade target No. 1: Allen Robinson
You almost have to feel bad for Allen Robinson. He’s dealt with an assorted cast of subpar quarterbacks throughout his entire career, and has still managed to turn himself into one of the top wide receivers in the game. It seems like the lack of consistency at quarterback is finally catching up to him though, as Robinson has crawled out of the gate to a frighteningly slow start (17 REC, 181 YDS, 1 TD through five games).
It’s been an interesting start to the season as a whole for the Chicago Bears, as they were basically forced to turn things over to rookie quarterback Justin Fields. Fields has been solid in his first few starts, but he has rarely looked Robinson’s way. Robinson was rumored to be looking for a trade over the offseason, and his lack of usage early on could force him to look for a move before the trade deadline.
Of the potential available wide receivers, Robinson is clearly the best of the bunch. He just put up back-to-back 1000 yard receiving seasons despite dealing with Mitchell Trubisky for the majority of the time. Think about what this guy could do in a competent offense.
Now I’m not saying the Patriots offense is a massive step up over the Bears offense, but Jones has been a bit more consistent than Fields to start the season, and would certainly be looking Robinson’s way more often than Fields has. Robinson would immediately come in and be New England’s top receiver, and his presence would instantly make the Pats offense ten times more dangerous.
The Patriots offense as constructed doesn’t really have a guy that draws a defenses’ full attention, but Robinson could be that guy. Even if he gets locked up, it opens up the rest of the offense in a way that we haven’t seen so far this season. He may cost you more than some of the other guys available, but if Robinson becomes available, the New England Patriots should absolutely look to bring him on board.