The New England Patriots acquired a wide receiver at the trade deadline last season in a move that did not pan out at all, but that does not mean Bill Belichick will be any less aggressive this year.
The Patriots are interested in acquiring a play-maker prior to next week’s deadline, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. They understand that their wide receiver corps has been an issue this season, with Julian Edelman clearly showing signs of his age and N’Keal Harry still not emerging as a true vertical threat.
Cam Newton has repeatedly said he is happy with the receivers the Patriots have on their roster, but there’s no question the group has been inadequate. Edelman currently leads the team in receptions with only 20. New England’s tight ends have also combined for only six catches all season.
The Patriots faced similar issues last season, and they tried to address them by trading a second-round pick for Mohamed Sanu at the deadline. Sanu never carved out a significant role for himself and was released back in September.
La Canfora mentions Adam Thielen as one possibility for the Patriots. The veteran is owed an average of $16 million per season for the next four years, and the Minnesota Vikings are 1-5 and nowhere near playoff contention. New England has the salary cap flexibility to take on a contract like Thielen’s.
Newton has said all the right things since he signed with the Patriots, and that continued after last week’s embarrassing loss to the Denver Broncos. While he will never admit it publicly, he would almost certainly be ecstatic if New England acquired a big-name receiver.
