Resetting Patriots’ Free Agent Receiver Options After Flurry Of Deals

Over the weekend, we shared a list of free agent receivers the wideout-needy New England Patriots could target this offseason.

Well, we’re still more than 24 hours away from the official start of free agency, and nearly half of the players we listed already have found new homes outside New England during the NFL’s legal tampering period.

Included in that group of new signees are close to a half-dozen prominent slot receivers: Danny Amendola (Detroit Lions), Adam Humphries (Tennessee Titans), Jamison Crowder (New York Jets), John Brown (Buffalo Bills) and Cole Beasley (Bills).

(Only Amendola’s contract has been made official. The others must wait until the NFL league year opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday to sign theirs.)

The Patriots reportedly bid against the Titans for Humphries, who’s coming off a career season, but wouldn’t match Tennessee’s four-year, $36 million contract offer ($9 million in average annual value). Crowder and Brown also reportedly landed deals in the $9 million per year range, and Beasley’s is worth $7.25 million annually over four years.

Financially, it comes as no surprise that New England wasn’t willing to pay that premium for any of these players, especially since Julian Edelman is set to make just $5.5 million this season.

So who’s left for the Patriots, who currently have just Edelman, Braxton Berrios, Damoun Patterson and special teamer Matthew Slater under contract? Here’s a list of wideouts who were available as of 2 p.m. Tuesday:

Golden Tate
Age: 30
2018 team: Detroit Lions/Philadelphia Eagles
2018 stats: 74 catches, 795 yards, four touchdowns, seven punt returns, 28 yards (15 games)
2018 Pro Football Focus rank (among wide receivers): 46th

Randall Cobb
Age: 28
2018 team: Green Bay Packers
2018 stats: 38 catches, 383 yards, two touchdowns; seven punt returns, 46 yards (nine games)
PFF rank: 95th

Pierre Garcon
Age: 32
2018 team: San Francisco 49ers
2018 stats: 24 catches, 286 yards, one touchdown (eight games)
PFF rank: 76th

Tyrell Williams
Age: 27
2018 team: Los Angeles Chargers
2018 stats: 41 catches, 653 yards, five touchdowns (16 games)
PFF rank: T-66th

Tavon Austin
Age: 29
2018 team: Dallas Cowboys
2018 stats: eight catches, 140 yards, two touchdowns; six carries, 55 yards; 10 punt returns, 58 yards (seven games)
PFF rank: N/A

Jermaine Kearse
Age: 29
2018 team: New York Jets
2018 stats: 37 catches, 371 yards, one touchdown (14 games)
PFF rank: 83rd

Andre Roberts
Age: 31
2018 team: New York Jets
2018 stats: 10 catches, 79 yards; 23 punt returns, 324 yards, one touchdown; 40 kick returns, 1,174 yards, one touchdown
PFF rank: N/A

The Patriots’ three internal free agent wideouts (Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett and Cordarrelle Patterson) also remain available. New England remains in talks with Dorsett about a potential return, according to multiple reports Tuesday.