Adam Caplan: Pats exploring the trade market to get an impact WR

[Force Zero Boomer]

“They’re looking to add at least one impact player at the position this offseason.” Is this the same source who said that the Pats were looking to add at least one impact player on defense during free agency?

In other news, I can’t believe that so many Patriots fans want to take MHJ at 3. He is not Moss or Megatron. If they don’t take a QB at 3, the only logical thing to do when the team has so many holes to fill and also when wide receiver group is exceptionally strong…..trade down an accrue additional picks. MHJ would be a luxury pick at 3 and the Pats are not in a luxury pick situation currently.

Moss was pick 21. Picking a receiver at #3 is insane.

 

[TheRainMaker]

I don’t know if Fowler said anything about Aiyuk specifically. The guy who tweeted used that picture. There are other WRs who might be had in trade like Tee Higgins, Stefon Diggs, maybe DeAndre Swift or AJ Brown, Courtland Sutton. A lot of big name WRs are in the last year of their deals and their teams may not be willing to resign them next year. This is the year to trade them.

DeAndre Swift is a RB. Why would AJ Brown be traded?

It's Jefferson or bust for me. If I'm going to pay a lot of money on a WR, he better be a true game changer.

Moss was pick 21. Picking a receiver at #3 is insane.

He dropped due to off field issues. Had he been a gentleman, he'd be a top 3-5 pick easy.

 

[Rob0729]

DeAndre Swift is a RB. Why would AJ Brown be traded?

It's Jefferson or bust for me. If I'm going to pay a lot of money on a WR, he better be a true game changer.


He dropped due to off field issues. Had he been a gentleman, he'd be a top 3-5 pick easy.

I meant DeVonta Smith. He is in the last year of his deal.

As for AJ Brown, he is rumored to want a trade. Not saying he will be traded, but if they decide they would rather keep Smith long term they might trade Brown. Who knows?

Three years ago, no one thought Tyreek Hill, AJ Brown, and to a lesser extent Hollywood Brown traded.

Jefferson is another one. If the Vikes cannot trade up into the top three, they might decide they are better off picking up several #1s and rebuilding with the draft capital they have. Or they could make Jefferson a part of a trade for #3 and then the Patriots get their tackle and target Penix or McCarthy.

Some teams today look at all the WRs coming out in the draft and would rather just draft the next big time WR than pay top dollar to their own big time WR. It all depends on a number of factors including whether the team feels they can hold it together for one more year and contend for a title. The Eagles might feel they missed their window a bit. Same with the Vikes.

 

[gobesmug]

Moss was pick 21. Picking a receiver at #3 is insane.

And the last team to win a superbowl after drafting a QB in the top 3 is the Giants with Eli Manning.

Technically the Eagles did with Wentz but Wentz wasn't the starter due to injuries but they did have an elite #1 wr talent in Alshon Jeffrey.

Since 1999, here are the QBs taken with #3 pick.

Akili Smith
Joey Harrington
Vince Young
Matt Ryan
Blake Bortles
Sam Darnold
Trey Lance

Where a player is taken means nothing ultimately.

 

[Force Zero Boomer]

DeAndre Swift is a RB. Why would AJ Brown be traded?

It's Jefferson or bust for me. If I'm going to pay a lot of money on a WR, he better be a true game changer.


He dropped due to off field issues. Had he been a gentleman, he'd be a top 3-5 pick easy.

Receivers seem to have a higher density of head cases than other positions.

 

[TinhWoodhead]

Receivers seem to have a higher density of head cases than other positions.

youre ABsolutely right

 

[VJCPatriot]

Agree. But the new game is all about Monday morning highlights. It’s better to have flashy fast players and lose, than to have slow plodding players that win. Winning isn’t as impressive as fantasy points. I’m mean … isn’t it obvious ?

Or you could have the worst of both worlds - slow and plodding offense AND lose a lot of games. Which is what happened last season in case 4-13 doesn't ring a bell. There's only so much you can neglect the offense and not have it end up biting you in the butt.

It's time to move on from the time of the dinosaurs and into the modern NFL as "offensive" as that idea might strike some people.

The cry for "Let's keep going back to what didn't work" for the past 4-5 years doesn't seem like the best formula for success moving forward.

 

[Real fan 02]

Call me stupid, but I'll take young proven talent over stockpiling picks.

Agreed, is why I believe we are in on tee Higgins..

 

[venecol]

There's no way that's accurate.

I came up with 97% of the yards listed for Pats. May have missed someone.

Edit: it says career so didn't count playoffs. It's probably accurate.

 

[vicspats]

Or you could have the worst of both worlds - slow and plodding offense AND lose a lot of games. Which is what happened last season in case 3-14 doesn't ring a bell. There's only so much you can neglect the offense and not have it end up biting you in the butt.

It's time to move on from the time of the dinosaurs and into the modern NFL as "offensive" as that idea might strike some people.

The cry for "Let's keep going back to what didn't work" for the past 4-5 years doesn't seem like the best formula for success moving forward.

I was responding to the fact that we spent over 20 years without a true #1 receiver. I’m not sure that one is needed today either. It’s about spreading the ball around, also like to point out that when we had a true number 1 … we won zero super bowls. I agree neglecting the offense is detrimental to scoring points, that goes without saying, But the notion that the modern NFL is all about scoring points, I’m not so sure. It’s a copy cat league. Watch in the next 2-3 years the defenses will get stronger. There’s great athleticism on both sides of the ball. It is so rare to have one player completely control a game much less a season. Takes a team. It’s still a team sport.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I was responding to the fact that we spent over 20 years without a true #1 receiver. I’m not sure that one is needed today either. It’s about spreading the ball around, also like to point out that when we had a true number 1 … we won zero super bowls. I agree neglecting the offense is detrimental to scoring points, that goes without saying, But the notion that the modern NFL is all about scoring points, I’m not so sure. It’s a copy cat league. Watch in the next 2-3 years the defenses will get stronger. There’s great athleticism on both sides of the ball. It is so rare to have one player completely control a game much less a season. Takes a team. It’s still a team sport.

Nobody said the NFL wasn't a team game.

But clearly the Patriots failed to make any headway on offense in the past 4-5 years and suffered because of it due to outdated ideas of the past regime.

It's time to wake up and smell the coffee. The critical role of the WR1 is that he dictates to the defense. He is a playmaker that must be accounted for and thus creates the openings for the WR2/3 in the offense. If you're talking about teams who won big in the playoffs it has been shown that a HOF quality TE like Gronk or Kelce can substitute for a WR1, but you need someone dominant that the defenses must account for in order for the rest of the offense to breathe.

We need to push back on this idea that a WR1 isn't needed just because Brady managed to drag the Patriots to the playoffs every year despite getting served poop salad as his WR corps.

Brady was the GOAT and an outlier. He could throw to pickup free agents and still win 11-12 games. But if you're being honest with yourself you know that even a great QB needs great weapons to thrive in the playoffs. The Patriots haven't had a great weapon since Gronk retired in 2019. Not coincidentally we haven't won a playoff game SINCE.



Patriots playoff history source: New England Patriots Playoff History | 1960 - 2023

 

[Triumph]

Three years ago, no one thought Tyreek Hill, AJ Brown, and to a lesser extent Hollywood Brown traded.

Hill wanted money that KC could not afford. 2 Lombardi trophies later seems like KC made the right call. Same with AJ Brown - Money,

Marquise Brown is on his 3rd team in 6 years. He is 2nd tier at best and has never lived up to his name "Hollywood"

The Pats can have any WR in the NFL they want. Just pony up the picks and get the check book out. Blow that cap up baby!

 

[signbabybrady]

I came up with 97% of the yards listed for Pats. May have missed someone.

Edit: it says career so didn't count playoffs. It's probably accurate.

Can you show your work?

 

[State]

The Pats will pick a QB per Kraft.

I wonder if that might turn out to be JJ McCarthy.