INDIANAPOLIS — Ah, yes. The annual dreaming of Patriots fans in the run-up to the draft.
Every year, without fail, the faithful love to get revved up with the thought of the Patriots taking one of the special athletic talents in the draft at receiver.
Despite years and years of evidence to the contrary ... unless you count N'Keal Harry:
2021: Tre Nixon, 7th round
2020: NONE ... in a historically deep WR draft
2019: N'Keal Harry, 1st round
2018: Braxton Berrios, 6th round
2017: None.
2016: Malcolm Mitchel, 4th round
2015: None.
2014: Jeremy Gallon, 7th round.
2013: Aaron Dobson, 2nd round.
2012: Jeremy Ebert, 7th round.
The enthusiasm and the daydreams are totally understandable. Who wouldn't want to infuse your offense with the type of weaponry that can dominate games like these guys in recent years?
And this year's draft, like seemingly every year from here on out, seems to be chock-full of tantalizing prospects. Just look at the speed shown on Thursday in Indy:
“It's a great wide receiver draft," said NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah. "I feel like we could copy and paste the comments on wide receivers and use it for the next 20 years, because the college game is giving us a ton of these guys every year.”
So, yes, salivating at adding someone above, let alone the injured Jameson Williams, to Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Henry for Mac Jones ... totally get it.
But given the chatter in Indianapolis this week, Patriots fans would be wise to put those first-round receiver dreams on hold ... again.
The Patriots seem much more likely to get an impact receiver via trade, and have targeted a familiar player, according to league sources. If the Patriots land this receiver, or if this is representative of the type they would like to add, it would also seem to put the future of Nelson Agholor in doubt.
Who are they going after?
(Getty Images)
The Patriots have at least shown some interest in trading for Panthers receiver Robby Anderson, the former Jet who impressed against the Patriots on film despite not much production (nine games, 49 targets, 17 receptions, 181 yards, 0 TDs).
Other possible trade targets, including Calvin Ridley, are not known at this time. It would not surprise if the Patriots are targeting multiple X boundary receivers via trade and will ultimately settle on the best deal and money.
The Patriots had a lot of interest in Anderson when he was a free agent in '20. The Patriots didn't have much cap space, and Anderson got a two-year, $20 million contract from the Panthers that has since been extended through 2023. (Anderson effectively wound up on a four-year deal worth $49.5 million with $30.5 million guaranteed and $37.5 million in earnings from 2020 to 2022.)
“When I played them, from what I can remember, (Belichick) usually would put man coverage (with) a safety over the top and scheme me, do things like that,” the former New York Jets wide receiver told reporters in November, via NESN. “Kind of take me out of the picture. He even told me that, too. Last year when I was in free agency, he tried to get me to sign. He was like, ‘I’m tired of scheming against you. I’m tired of going against you.'”
This is what we wrote about him entering free agency in '20:
Robby Anderson, Jets: Truly underrated playmaker who is likely to get paid near the top of the market from teams flush with cap space. He's got good size (6-3, 190) and wins against man coverage. Could be a great pickup for the Patriots but he's going to get a big offer, and he should.
Anderson ran the 40 in 4.36 seconds coming out of Temple.
Anderson, who is 6-3 and ran the 40 in 4.36 seconds out of Temple, is due to count over $15 million on the Panthers' cap next season, and they have multiple good young receivers in the pipeline. If nothing is done to Anderson's contract, he cost the Patriots $19.8 million for two years in base salaries, plus upwards of $5.8 million in roster bonuses — if the Patriots don't restructure the contract.
Anderson would be much cheaper than Ridley, who missed part of last season due to emotional issues. Ridley is due to be paid $11 million this season on the fifth-year option, but will be seeking a huge contract extension. Anderson, who has missed two games the previous three seasons, is much less of a wild-card.
League sources said Anderson is not an option in the slot for the Patriots, so he would likely be a replacement for Agoholor and basically the same salary (Agholor has a $14.9 million cap figure this year). If the Patriots can trade Agholor — perhaps to Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler in Las Vegas, where Agholor had a standout season in 2019 for position coach Edgar Bennett, who was retained by McDaniels — the Patriots would save $4.9 million against the cap.
It was also reported Friday that the Cowboys are likely to release WR Amari Cooper. I would not expect the Patriots to have much initial interest, especially if Cooper thinks he should make the $20 million he was scheduled the next three years. There are also issues with Cooper's play and effort, as we wrote in '20 when he was a free agent:
Amari Cooper, Dallas: With the Cowboys likely needing the tag for QB Dak Prescott, Cooper could be a free agent ... and on his third team in as many years. That should tell you a lot. Cooper certainly flashes but the Raiders questioned his desire, and his on-field play for the Cowboys led to many questions about his commitment to the team and his toughness. Still, he's just 25 and perhaps the right team thinks they can get more out of him. But buyer beware.
