The New England Patriots have a long history of signing players who perform well against them.
They tried to make Isaiah McKenzie the latest addition to that list, according to the Buffalo Bills slot receiver.
On last week’s episode of “The Isaiah McKenzie Show” with Go Long’s Tyler Dunne, McKenzie said the Patriots were one of seven teams that attempted to sign him when he hit free agency this past offseason. He ultimately opted to remain in Buffalo, where he’s played since 2018.
McKenzie enjoyed the best game of his NFL career against the Patriots last season, torching slot cornerback Myles Bryant to the tune of 11 catches for 125 yards and a touchdown in a Week 16 victory. A month later, he caught three passes for 45 yards and rushed three times for 29 yards as the Bills blew out the Patriots in the wild-card round of the NFL playoffs.
The undersized 27-year-old has a larger role in Buffalo’s offense this season, taking over for Cole Beasley as the Bills’ primary slot receiver. He caught two passes for 19 yards and a touchdown in a season-opening rout of the Los Angeles Rams.
New England wound up trading for DeVante Parker, drafting Tyquan Thornton and re-signing Jakobi Meyers this offseason. Meyers remains their top slot option and their most reliable overall wideout, with Parker, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Lil’Jordan Humphrey rounding out their depth chart. Thornton currently is on injured reserve after breaking his collarbone during the preseason.
