The Patriots were able to address their pass-catching need Tuesday. It wasn’t with a superstar like some New England fans were hoping for, but rather a player who might have been the best fit out of all of the team’s viable options.
A.J. Green, Stefon Diggs nor Emmanuel Sanders will be heading to Foxboro. The Patriots’ trade-deadline target proved to be Mohamed Sanu, who reportedly was swapped for a second-round pick in a deal with the Atlanta Falcons. New England has long had its eyes set on the eighth-year pro, who reportedly was pursued by the reigning Super Bowl champions during the 2019 NFL Draft.
So, what is it about Sanu, a career No. 2-3 option, that made him so coveted by Bill Belichick and Co.? Former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky offered some insight while breaking down how the 30-year-old can improve New England’s offense.
“This team right now is going to become unstoppable and it’s because of this addition with Sanu,” Orlovsky said Tuesday on ESPN’s “Get Up!” “This is why: one, they can play big with Sanu, N’Keal Harry’s coming back and Josh Gordon and they can play small with the running backs. Sanu is one of the better on-the-perimeter blocking receivers in the NFL. What do the Patriots love to run? Screens. Now you can have a big guy out there dominating DBs.”
Belichick always has been partial to versatile players, and it’s safe to say Sanu has that trait in spades. Hell, the Rutgers product — yes, another former Scarlet Knight in New England — is even capable of throwing the ball, as he currently boasts a perfect career passer rating. In short, Belichick and Tom Brady will be able to be very, very creative with their newest weapon.
Sanu is set to make his Patriots debut Sunday when New England hosts the Cleveland Browns.
