The New England Patriots appear to be in desperate need of help at wide receiver. Their offense sputtered through close victories over the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets in the first two weeks of the season, and rookies Kenbrell Thompkins and Aaron Dobson have appeared to have Crisco on their hands at all times. As a result, Tom Brady has reportedly taken it upon himself to seek help.
According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Silver, Brady has contacted former Patriots receivers Deion Branch and Brandon Lloyd to gauge their interest in rejoining the team. Branch reportedly said he is ready to come back whenever, while Lloyd seems to have placed football on the backburner as he focuses on starring in straight-to-DVD zombie movies with a Baldwin brother.
Of course, Brady is not responsible for making roster moves and signing free agents. He would need Bill Belichick to be on board with bringing back either of his old pals, but the rumors speak volumes about the current state of New England’s passing game. Branch hauled in only 16 catches in 10 games with the Patriots last season. Lloyd was more successful in his first stint with the team, catching 75 passes for 911 yards.
There’s a reason Branch is a free agent — no teams have called. Lloyd likely hasn’t gotten any offers that have blow him away, either. That just goes to show you that almost anything would be an upgrade for the Patriots at this point.
