The New England Patriots’ offense made significant progress this past season, and the credit must go to quarterback Drake Maye and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, who’ve transformed them from one of the worst offenses in the league to one of the best.
However, after ending the season in disappointing fashion on football’s biggest stage, it’s evident that the Patriots must take the next step in supporting their young quarterback by giving him a true No. 1 wide receiver. The Patriots have been linked to wide receiver A.J. Brown for the last few months, and more recently, they’ve also been linked to dynamic wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, several teams are monitoring Thomas’ availability, with Graziano going as far as to list the Patriots as a potential fit. Although the Jacksonville Jaguars haven’t signaled that they're looking to move on from their 2024 first-round selection, their long-term commitment to Jakobi Meyers, along with the wideout's underwhelming season, could lead to a departure.
While Thomas would instantly become the top target in New England, it would be wise for the Patriots to resist the temptation to trade for him. Considering the team’s numerous roster needs, they can’t afford to give up valuable draft capital.
Drafting and Developing WR Must Be Patriots’ Priority
Thomas has been up and down during his two seasons with the Jaguars. In his first season, he looked like he was headed towards the path to becoming one of the best wide receivers in the league, posting 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns.
This past season, however, Thomas’ production took a hit under new head coach Liam Coen, posting just 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns. With both Meyers and Parker Washington slowly emerging as quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s top targets, Thomas could be expendable at the right price.
So, what is the right price, you may ask? Well, given his age (23) and that he has two more years on his rookie contract, plus a fifth-year option, the Jaguars would likely want premium draft capital in return. This could be anywhere from multiple day two selections or a first-round pick and a day three pick.
Since it would be difficult for the Jaguars to give up on someone of his caliber, the Patriots would be better off focusing on the draft to find a long-term solution at receiver. While they’ve been notoriously known for failing to draft quality receivers in the Bill Belichick regime, this time around should be different.
This year’s wide receiver class has plenty of depth at receiver, and there are several intriguing options to choose from. Two receivers that would give the Patriots immediate contributions are Omar Cooper Jr. and Chris Brazzell II.
Cooper is someone that I noted early on that the Patriots should keep a close eye on, given his ability to create separation and turn a short gain into a big play. He’s a talented receiver who can line up in the slot or outside and excel in any offense. Cooper should be available if the Patriots want to use their first-round selection on him. If not, Brazzell could be an option in the second round.
Unlike Cooper, Brazzell is a big-bodied receiver who plays the majority of his snaps outside. He’s got great speed for his size and a wide catch radius that would fit perfectly with the Patriots’ downfield attack. While Brazzell’s stock has risen over the last few weeks, he’ll still likely be a day two pick.
Regardless of which receiver the Patriots like from this year’s draft class, they must select one. Last year, they used free agency to invest in the receiver room, bringing in Diggs and Mack Hollins.
Now, it’s time for the Patriots to draft and develop young talent at the position.