6 Wide Receivers Patriots Must Target if They Miss on Calvin Ridley

4. Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. finds himself looking for another contract, and this time he has a good year behind him to parlay into a new deal.

After missing the entire 2022 campaign as he rehabbed from a torn ACL, Beckham landed with the Baltimore Ravens for the 2023 season. He bounced back quite nicely, logging 35 receptions for 565 yards and 3 TDs.

OBJ's ability to make plays down the field (16.1 yards per catch) was clearly present in his return post-injury, which is a great sign for him continuing to be a threat at least in 2024. With 4.4 yards after catch on average as well, he showed no trepidation or struggles when trying to extend plays on his surgically repaired knee.

Given his name and comeback, defenses won't be able to slouch off on the wideout, adding a WR who'd make things easier for his fellow pass-catchers.

5. Mike Williams

The Mike WIlliams shoe finally dropped on Wednesday, as the Los Angeles Chargers are cutting the veteran wide receiver to save over $30 million cap space.

Williams fits the WR1 mold for the Patriots perfectly. He's a big-bodied target at 6-foot-4 who's known for going up and coming down with insane contested catches. His expanded catching radius makes him an amazing asset to have around for a rookie quarterback, who may struggle with pinpoint accuracy as they transition to the NFL.

Yes, Williams is coming off of a torn ACL, and even before that he was a walking questionable tag just waiting to happen because of his propensity for contested catches. But he's a big-play receiver (career average of 15.6 YPC) who'd elevate this offense even if he's not quite at 100% effectiveness.

Getting medical clearance is one hurdle in the way of a Williams deal, but assuming he's on track for an early 2024 return, the Pats should be aggressive in using the budget allocated for Ridley toward landing Big Mike.