How many years in a row were the Patriots linked to Larry Fitzgerald? Felt like about 10.
Fitz has since been replaced by A.J. Green. Both men stand apart from the rest as āThe receiver who will change everything for the Patriotsā offense if they can go and get him ā¦ā but they are not alone.
Whether itās pre-draft, end of training camp or trade deadline, Patriots fans ā and media ā break out the NFL Wideout Wishbook, lie on their stomachs and let their imagination roam.
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NFL trade deadline: 10 wide receiver trade targets for Patriots
With the trade deadline bearing down a week from Tuesday, we are back at it again. With Julian Edelman all banged up and NāKeal Harry continuing to gestate, the Patriotsā best wide receiver currently is Damiere Byrd.
So they need help there. One name we havenāt often dialed in on is Marvin Jones. The Detroit Lions wideout is in the last year of his deal. Heāll be 31 in March. Heās got 12 catches in five games. Heās playing on a $6.5M salary this year. He can still play. Heās not in the Fitz, A.J. Green or Julio Jones mold but the Emmanuel Sanders-level player? Certainly.
Hereās an excellent story inĀ The AthleticĀ detailing everything youād want to know about Jonesā potential as a trade target.
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One interesting piece of it is what the Lions might look for in return. The comp, sadly, is Mohamed Sanu and the Patriots obvious overpay for Sanu last season (a second-rounder) could be an albatross. One qualifier? Sanu was not an expiring contract.Ā Ā
Curran's Patriots-49ers Preview
Will the Patriots be buyers or sellers at this trade deadline? Weāve talked about it a dozen times this week. To me, the Patriots HAVE to add at wide receiver. Period. Not merely to try and win the division or get to a Super Bowl but to remain competitive on Sundays. They donāt have enough players at the spot and ā with just $5.5M allocated to the salaries of Edelman, Harry and Byrd ā theyāre getting about what they paid for.
Speed, as weāve noted many times this season, is a huge issue.
"It's the worst group of skill players in the NFL, and you should probably put skill players in quotes," one NFL executive who has faced the Patriots this year told CBSSports.comās Jason Lacanfora. "That has to be the slowest offense in the league."
A player like Jones isnāt a cure-all. But any wide receiver at this point is a must-have. Jones and the Lions are at the 1-5 Falcons at 1 p.m. on Sunday.