Some New England Patriots fans are wary about selecting a wide receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft given Bill Belichick's recent draft history, and rightfully so.
The Patriots have a lengthy list of draft misses at the wideout position, but they might be tempted to go back to the well later this month. With the 14th overall pick, they should have multiple intriguing options to upgrade the offense and help quarterback Mac Jones.
Patriots Talk: Look ahead to next year to see who the Patriots will take in the 2023 NFL Draft | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
If you ask our Tom E. Curran, Belichick's issues with drafting wideouts shouldn't dissuade the Patriots head coach/general manager from giving it another shot this time around.
"The question is, can Bill do it or can he not? Can he pick a wideout who works?" Curran asked on Tuesday's Quick Slants. "Now is not the time to talk to me about N'Keal Harry, Aaron Dobson, Chad Jackson, Josh Boyce, Taylor Price, Brandon Tate, Braxton Berrios, P.K. Sam, or Bethel Johnson. Some people think when you're in a hole, you stop digging. Not me. I think Bill's about to get hot.
"The path to the playoffs is already laid out in front of the Patriots. Bill O'Brien's going to take Mac Jones by the hand and walk him right down the path to it. The path back to elite is going to involve wideouts that can make a defense sweat, and they are out there."
New England Patriots
Find the latest New England Patriots news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
Perry's Prototypical Patriots: Explosive WRs available in NFL Draft to help Mac Jones
Curran points out Ohio State's Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Boston College's Zay Flowers, and Houston's Tank Dell as receivers Belichick shouldn't hesitate to pick when New England is on the clock.
"I'm looking at Tank Dell, I'm looking at Zay Flowers, I'm looking at JSN and I'm not worrying about the past record for Bill Belichick. And when I do, I prefer to think of Deion Branch or the seventh-round gems like David Givens and Julian Edelman. And I pretend that those other guys never happened."
As of now, the Patriots' wide receiver depth chart consists of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, and Kendrick Bourne. Jones also has a pair of pass-catching tight ends at his disposal with Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki.
The 2023 NFL Draft begins on April 27.
You can hear Curran's full "Quick Slants" take in the video above.