Patriots veteran believes team will add receiver this offseason
Devin McCourty also hopes Jakobi Meyers will be back in New England
If Mac Jones is going to flourish in his third season, the New England Patriots quarterback is going to need more help on offense.
The first step is complete: The Patriots hired offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to coach Jones. Next, New England needs to put some better playmakers around its QB.
While talking up Jones on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” Patriots free-agent safety Devin McCourty made an interesting prediction regarding the team’s offseason.
"I think the team is going to get another guy to be a receiver in that offense," McCourty said. "(And) hopefully bring my guy Jakobi Meyers back and be a part of it."
Meyers, like McCourty (who has yet to decide if he’ll return or retire), will be a free agent in March. And since he’s among the top free-agent wide receivers hitting the open market, he won’t come cheap. New England currently is set to have wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, Lynn Bowden and Tre Nixon under contract this season with Meyers and Nelson Agholor hitting free agency. Tight ends Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith, Matt Sokol and Scotty Washington and running backs Kevin Harris, Ty Montgomery, Rhamondre Stevenson, Pierre Strong and J.J. Taylor also are under contract in New England. Running back Damien Harris is another free agent.
Whether the Patriots bring Meyers back or not, they could use more help at a pass-catching position. Bourne was New England’s second-leading receiver in 2021 but fell out of favor last season. Parker, who was acquired via trade from the Miami Dolphins last offseason, caught 31 passes for 539 yards with three touchdowns. Thornton, a 2022 second-round pick, wasn’t a major factor with 22 catches for 247 yards with two scores. Henry and Smith both have struggled to live up to the hefty contracts they signed in the 2021 offseason from a production standpoint.
Without a stellar group of free-agent receivers, New England might have to look at the trade market or wait for a veteran wideout to get released to add more offensive firepower this offseason. In an ideal world, they bring back Meyers and add another starting-caliber wideout.
Featured image via Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
