There are no two ways about it: the Patriots are in dire need of pass-catching help.
Luckily for New England, it finds itself in good shape to subdue the issue this offseason.
The 2020 draft class is loaded with high-end receiving prospects, and a few mock drafters have projected the Patriots using one of their top selections on a wideout. Furthermore, there are expected to be a handful of noteworthy veteran WRs on the free-agent market next month, including Amari Cooper, A.J. Green and Emmanuel Sanders.
In short, the Patriots have no shortage of options at their disposal, but NFL Media’s Gil Brandt believes it would be textbook Bill Belichick to pursue a certain wideout in the coming weeks.
“Over the years, the Patriots have made a habit of pilfering key players from AFC East rivals,” Brandt wrote. “(Robby) Anderson, who averaged 15 yards per catch and 55 catches per year over the past three seasons with the Jets, would make an ideal addition to a New England team that has had just two players (Brandin Cooks in 2017 and Rob Gronkowski in ’17 and ’15) match those numbers in any given season since 2009.”
Anderson excels at taking the top off the defense, and with his 6-foot-3 frame, he could be the legitimate red-zone threat New England lacked over the course of the 2019 season. Not to mention, he surely will cost a lot less than Cooper or Green, both of whom the Patriots might not be able to make a real run at given their current salary cap situation.
The 26-year-old never was set up to shine over his four seasons in New York, and it’s not tough to imagine him forming a strong connection with Tom Brady, assuming, of course, the Patriots re-sign the veteran quarterback.
