The New England Patriots have gone five seasons without a receiver hitting the 1,000-yard mark. The last Patriots receiver to reach 1,000 yards was Julian Edelman in 2019.
Since Edelman’s retirement, the Patriots have lacked talent at the receiver position. Their most recent receiver that they could gameplan around was Jakobi Meyers, who left the team in 2023 after they refused to match the Raiders’ offer.
Last year, the Patriots had one of the worst offenses in the league, ranking last in passing yards per game (176.2). Tight end Hunter Henry was the leading receiver, posting 66 catches, 674 yards, and 2 touchdowns.
Over the last few seasons, the Patriots have been aggressive in acquiring a playmaking receiver, but ultimately failed in landing both Calvin Ridley and Brandon Aiyuk despite their enormous cap space. Yet again, the Patriots failed in acquiring a deep-threat wide receiver, but this time it might be for the better.
Patriots Miss Out on Rashod Bateman
The Baltimore Ravens signed wide receiver Rashod Bateman to a three-year, $36.75 million extension. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that Bateman’s camp was engaging in trade talks before signing an extension, and one of the teams involved was the Patriots.
How trade talks helped spark a Rashod Bateman extension in Baltimore. pic.twitter.com/5sQfD8beY4
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) June 7, 2025
After a slow start to his career, Bateman showcased that he was worthy of a first-round selection. Bateman, 25, is coming off his best season yet, posting 45 receptions, 756 yards, and nine touchdowns.
Although he had a career year, Bateman’s recent season doesn’t warrant that kind of money, and the Patriots lucked out by not being able to trade for him. If Bateman were traded to the Patriots, he would easily become one of the team’s top receivers, but he hasn’t shown that he’s capable of playing like a top receiver.
Bateman has never performed as one of the best receivers on a team, as he’s had to play behind Hollywood Brown, Mark Andrews, and Zay Flowers in his tenure. In the 2023 season, Bateman was outperformed by 31-year-old Odell Beckham Jr., who missed the entire previous season recovering from a torn ACL.
If you combine Bateman’s 2022 and 2023 seasons, Bateman posted 47 receptions, 652 yards, and three touchdowns. In his first three years alone, Bateman had a combined four touchdowns through 34 games.
While Bateman’s last season could indicate that better seasons are to come, his injury history and production aren’t worth the money he was asking for. Although he may be better than some of the Patriots' current receivers, his asking price isn’t worth giving up a draft pick or player for.
The Patriots and other teams that reported interest in Bateman forced the Ravens to retain him on a bad deal, which will end up screwing them down the road.