Patriots' Reported Interest In Drafting Early Round Receiver Isn't Surprising

The New England Patriots’ reported interest in using an early draft pick on a wide receiver really shouldn’t come as a shock.

Bill Belichick is a master of planning ahead, and uncertainty abounds around the Patriots’ receivers.

Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell are locks to be starters for at least the next two seasons. They’re under control on team-friendly contracts and were extremely dependable for quarterback Tom Brady in 2014.

After that, it gets a little shaky.

Danny Amendola was a solid option as the Patriots’ No. 3 receiver in 2014, despite some pedestrian numbers. He caught 27 passes for 200 yards with one touchdown during the regular season, though he came on strong in the playoffs with 11 catches for 137 yards with three touchdowns in just three games.

Amendola also stayed healthy for a full 16-game regular season for just the second time in his career. That’s not guaranteed to happen again, and the Patriots should plan ahead for any possible injuries at receiver if Amendola, Edelman or LaFell go down.

They haven’t really done that so far. Behind the top three receivers, the Patriots have just Brandon Gibson, Brian Tyms, Aaron Dobson, Josh Boyce, Kevin Dorsey and Jonathan Krause. Gibson signed a one-year, $825,000 contract with $40,000 guaranteed, so his spot on the roster is definitely not secured. There’s also the issue of free-agent receivers picking up the Patriots’ system quickly enough to contribute. Gibson was the Dolphins’ No. 4 receiver in 2014 behind Mike Wallace, Brian Hartline and Jarvis Landry.

Tyms signed a one-year, $585,000 contract without any guaranteed money, and though he passed Dobson on the depth chart last year, he only contributed five catches for 82 yards and a touchdown as the Patriots’ No. 4 receiver. He could grow into a bigger role in 2015 with a full year in the system under his belt, but that’s a risk the Patriots might not be willing to take.

Amendola is extremely unlikely to be back in 2016 on his current contract, which means the Patriots should be looking for a future No. 3 receiver. Amendola has a $6.866 million cap hit in 2016 on his current deal. His cap hit in 2015 is just $3.116.

Top receiver prospect DeVante Parker is set to meet with the Patriots, TheMMQB.com’s Robert Klemko reported last week, which comes as a slight surprise. Parker could be a top 10 pick in the 2015 NFL draft, and the Patriots are unlikely to trade up that high from the No. 32 overall pick. It is an indicator that their interest in a wideout is real, however.

The Patriots hosted top quarterbacks Johnny Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater on visits last season, and they wound up selecting Jimmy Garoppolo in the second round of the 2014 NFL draft. They met with top edge defenders Ezekiel Ansah and Dion Jordan in 2013, then grabbed linebacker Jamie Collins, who had similar skills coming out of Southern Mississippi, in the second round.

The Patriots could be taking a similar approach this season, meeting with top wide receivers but taking one in the second or third round. The Patriots’ success rate at drafting a wide receiver is extremely low, but the need for an upgrade at the position is real.