- If the Patriots turn to a player like Meyers or Sanu in the slot, then that means they’ve changed their prototype for that role into a bigger body type. The Patriots also could utilize more.
- The New England Patriots have acquired wideout Isaiah Ford from the Miami Dolphins, who also traded for Kansas City Chiefs RB DeAndre Washington. The 6-foot-2 slot receiver has complied 18.
- Included are player stats for the New England Patriots (NFL) from 1971-2020, the Boston Patriots (NFL) in 1970 and the Boston Patriots (AFL) from 1960-1969. Only stats for Regular Season Games have been included. Wes Welker is the New England Patriots career leader in receptions with 672.
By severing ties with half of last year’s group of wide receivers, Bill Belichick essentially admitted that the Patriots won Super Bowl LIII in spite of an underwhelming corps of pass catches, not because of it. Julian Edelman aside, the group left standing by the end of the season was New England’s weakest output since 2006, when Reche Caldwell was the team’s No.
The New England Patriots are likely going to need to acquire pass-catchers. Julian Edelman, 31, is the only receiver set to return, with the rest heading for free agency. Rob Gronkowski, the team’s only proven pass-catching tight end, is considering retirement. The Patriots may need receivers to contribute right away, and it wouldn’t hurt to stash a younger receiver for development.
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Lucky for New England, the 2019 NFL Draft class boasts a handful of talented receivers who would fill well in the slot role for the Patriots. Before we jump into this list, I’d like to clarify that these receivers aren’t limited to a slot role. Many are capable of playing inside and outside in New England’s offense, much like Julian Edelman has done in recent years. But any one of these players could become Edelman’s replacement.
Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina: ![Slot Receivers For New England Patriots Slot Receivers For New England Patriots](/uploads/1/3/3/8/133815381/337632736.jpg)
New England Patriots Top Receivers
Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma: He was rated to be a mid first-rounder before undergoing a foot surgery, according to ESPN. He should be ready for training camp, but there’s no saying where he’ll fall in the draft. Perhaps he’ll fall to the Patriots at 32. Perhaps he’ll fall further. Regardless, Brown is probably more of an outside receiver than any of the others in this list. But the Patriots could make his slippery speed work inside.Best New England Patriot Receivers
Next up: Mid or late-round picks