The New England Patriots are still without a true No. 1 wide receiver after missing out on DeAndre Hopkins this summer. But could they find an elite weapon for third-year quarterback Mac Jones during the 2023 NFL season?
If the Patriots are still in contention ahead of the trade deadline, which is set for Oct. 31, it would make sense for them to take a big swing and add a difference-maker to the offense. There should be multiple talented wide receivers on the trade block later this year, but there's one star in particular that our Phil Perry has in mind. He shared an intriguing hypothetical scenario on the latest Patriots Talk Podcast with Tom E. Curran.
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"I just wonder if at some point if there's a big fish out there for them, would they not be interested? Because I just think you need a big fish to become an elite passing game," Perry said.
"And so, does somebody like Davante Adams -- and this is complete pie-in-the-sky thinking and this is not based on any conversations I've had with anybody. But if the Raiders are 2-6 at the trade deadline and Davante Adams is clearly upset because they've traded Derek Carr and now the team has no shot of anything, you've got all this cap space. He's a great player. I'm just using him as an example, but would you try to make a move like that if you are in the hunt and a team like the Raiders or whoever it is, is not?"
Adams signed a five-year, $140 million contract with the Raiders last year after being traded by the Green Bay Packers. Despite the All-Pro wideout's presence, Las Vegas finished the 2022 season with a 6-11 record.
Entering camp, the Patriots' wide receiver room consists of JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Tre Nixon, Malik Cunningham, Jalen Hurd, Ed Lee, and Raleigh Webb.
Also in this episode:
- What to expect as training camp begins.
- Reaction to Bill Belichick's "no comment" on the Jack Jones arrest for gun charges at Logan Airport in June.
- Belichick on Lawrence Guy, and his unhappiness with his contract.
- What to make of the wide receivers in camp after not signing DeAndre Hopkins.
- What will Curran and Perry be looking for with Mac Jones on the field with new offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien?
- How important is it for first-round pick Christian Gonzalez to be "thrown into the fire"?