The New England Patriots had to upgrade their talent level and depth at wide receiver in NFL free agency after this position group was among the major weaknesses on the roster last season.
Through the first week of free agency, the Patriots added veteran wideouts Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor.
Agholor is coming off his best pro season in 2020. He tallied 48 receptions for a career-high 896 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games for the Las Vegas Raiders. He parlayed that success into a reported two-year contract worth $26 million with New England.
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The 27-year-old wide receiver recently sat down with Patriots.com and explained he's excited to be a part of what the team is building for 2021 and beyond.
“It’s a beautiful feeling,” Agholor admitted. “I know that coach (Bill) Belichick and this staff and this organization had a plan in free agency. To be part of that means the world and I’m just excited to get to work.”
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It didn't take long for Agholor to feel the history of Gillette Stadium after walking in for the first time as a Patriot.
“It felt real. It felt amazing," Agholor said. "When you walk in you realize why this place is so special as soon as you walk in. I’m psyched to be here. It’s in your face. You get to see the history on the walls and the special players that have played here. Then you see all the championships, so it’s a pretty cool feeling.”
Ahgolor gives the Patriots plenty of speed and a legitimate deep threat for Cam Newton or whoever starts at quarterback to target. In fact, six of his eight receiving touchdowns in 2020 were on receptions of 20-plus yards, and the only player with more was Kansas City Chiefs star Tyreek Hill (eight).
The additions of Agholor and Bourne, plus free agent tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry should make the Patriots passing offense much more productive than it was in 2020. And the Patriots might not even be done bolstering the passing attack. They could still add another wide receiver with one of their nine picks in the 2021 NFL Draft next month.