In light of the Pats' offensive struggles, now is an excellent time to revisit a couple of the wide receiver options they passed on for monetary reasons: Calvin Ridley and DeAndre Hopkins (I wrote about another, Jakobi Meyers, Thursday).
If you'll recall, Ridley was suspended by the league in 2022 for betting on his own team and was eventually dealt by the Falcons to the Jaguars for a couple of conditional draft picks. The 28-year-old is coming off a 7-catch, 122-yard performance in an upset win over the Bills Sunday in London. That's his second 100-yard game of the season (he lit up the Colts in the season opener). On the season, Ridley has 22 catches for 333 yards and two scores. The catches and yardage would be tops on this Pats team.
Slandered by specific segments of Pats fans and media for being too old and injury-prone, Hopkins has played in every game for the Titans. He's amassed 26 catches for 356 yards and, like Ridley, is coming off a 100-yard receiving game this weekend (140 vs the Colts). Hopkins' numbers, like Ridley's, would easily lead New England. His contract was for $26 million over two years but has outs after year one (decent dead cap hit, but with the cap expected to rise, not something that should have been prohibitive).
Instead, the Pats decided, at least when it came to Hopkins, that they couldn't disrupt their internal salary cap. No way could Hopkins be paid more than JuJu Smith-Schuster. So, instead of acquiring a wideout who would command the attention of a number-one receiver, the Pats decided to roll with their threes and fours. You see the results. The passing game is the worst in the league. The lack of talent on the outside certainly has played a role in these struggles. It's not the only issue, but they're high on the list.
As for Ridley, the cost to acquire the player was so cheap that I remember wondering where the Pats, who tend to like these types of deals, were with regard to the trade talks. All Ridley was/is owed is the 5th-year option - $11.1 million. Considering the rapidly escalating cost at the position, that was a risk worth taking even then. But no, not here. Apparently, that deal was too rich for their blood. Instead, the Pats have assembled a flawed group of pass catchers on a flawed roster.
Meanwhile, the teams you are competing with in the division have at least one primo receiver - Stefon Diggs in Buffalo, Garrett Wilson with the NYJ, and Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in Miami. At some point, the Pats have to get with the times and get a difference-maker at that spot. Barring any in-season extensions, the best UDFAs in 2024 will be Tee Higgins, Ridley, Michael Pittman, Mike Evans, Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., and Marquise Brown. Higgins and Ridley, depending on how the rest of his year goes, are the two best on this list, while Evans is arguably on the wrong side of his prime but still better than anything you got (and still productive). Whoever is making decisions will have some options, and it's about time they get at least one of these players to give defensive coordinators someone they have to game plan for.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS?
Year one of Sean Payton in Denver has been a flipping disaster. They have just one win: a gift from Justin Fields and the Bears. Russell Wilson still stinks. The defense - historically bad through the first five weeks of the season - didn’t embarrass themselves Thursday in KC, but that’s a low bar.
With so much money committed to Wilson and many assets sent out the door in that trade, the Broncos should be in sell-sell mode as we draw nearer to the NFL's trade deadline (October 31). Payton insists that his team is not actively shopping players, but they've already moved on from a pair, dealing Randy Gregory for a late-round pick sway with San Fran, and Frank Clark, who just had his contract reduced, is now being released.
So what's left in the cupboard that's moveable and, more to the point, desirable? Start with safety, Justin Simmons. At that position, he's one of the better players in the league but is also young enough that you could see Payton being reluctant to part with him unless he gets a haul in return. Other than that, the wide receiver position will draw attention. Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton were available this offseason, but the Broncos never got an offer they felt was worthy to make a move. Now? It seems likely they might take less to move off those salaries and those players who don't feel like they're building blocks in the future. Neither has played to the level they were drafted at. Jeudy currently has 20 catches and no touchdowns, has been injury-prone and has had off-field issues. Sutton has been more productive, with 25 grabs for 275 yards and four scores. I'd be surprised if at least one of those guys doesn't get moved.
WHAT A WAGON
Aside from catching some highlights early in the season, I hadn't seen much of the 49ers until Sunday night's thrashing of the Cowboys. Oh, mama. That roster is loaded with talent on both sides of the ball, and their rookie placekicker doesn't miss (cough, cough). They are the prohibitive favorites to win the Lombardi this year, and it's hard to argue with the oddsmakers on that one. Consider the upper echelon of their roster:
- Christian McCaffrey leads the NFL in touches (119), scrimmage yards (678) and TDs (tied, 8)
- Trent Williams is the best left tackle in football, allowing zero sacks and just four pressures in five games.
- Nick Bosa is one of the two or three best edge players in football, both as a rusher and run defender, and has 12 QB hits and 13 pressures to go along with a pair of sacks.
- Fred Warner is the best linebacker in football.
- Javon Hargrave is 2nd amongst interior DL in QB pressures.
- Brandon Aiyuk is the 2nd highest-graded WR in football per PFF (trailing Tyreek Hill).
- Deebo Samuel is averaging 15.1 per reception.
Oh, and I didn't even mention TE George Kittle, DL Arik Armstead, LB Dre Greenlaw, or former 1st rounder Javon Kinlaw, who is coming on.
But the quarterback makes this team different from those in years past. You know Brock Purdy's backstory by now. Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick in the draft two years ago and someone the scouting community saw as a player with limited upside. There's nothing wrong with being a career backup and occasional spot starter—beats digging ditches or sitting at a cubicle all day (I'd assume pretty confidently). But Purdy impressed in his first training camp, watched as one quarterback after another went down, and then made it count when he got his opportunity.
The 49ers have never lost a game that Purdy has started and finished (a tidy 10-0 so far), but he is playing so well this year that he's no longer a passenger but the driver of this offensive train.
Consider that Purdy's passer rating of 114.4 through his first two seasons is the best in history (dating back to 1950), outpacing - in order - Patrick Mahomes, Kurt Warner, Lamar Jackson, and Dan Marino. Wowza. His current passer rating of 123.1 leads the NFL this season, and if he somehow manages to keep this pace, it would set the single-season record currently held by Aaron Rodgers (122.5 in 2011). I know what you're thinking - this is all about Kyle Shanahan and the weapons Purdy's surrounded by. Fair. No doubt that's quite helpful, but Purdy's also got the highest passer rating on tight-window throws in 2023 (tight-window is defined as a yard of separation of less). How can you not be impressed?
Shanahan certainly is. Consider how agitated he got when the subject of Purdy being a system quarterback was brought up.
"That's pretty ridiculous," he said. "You just got to watch the tape. I mean, he plays at a high level every time he's been out there. And he's done it in a lot of different situations versus a lot of different defenses, on the road, at home, in playoff games, when injured. You can't do all that stuff (if you're a system quarterback). He's been out there too long. It's on tape."
We're talking about a coach who doesn't like his quarterbacks. He more or less tolerates them. They are a vehicle to execute his plan, to show the football-watching world his big, creative brain - one that gets the football nerds all hot and bothered. And yet here is Shanahan, openly gushing about Purdy. That's not tire pumping. That's full-on belief, and I'm right there with him (as if that matters!)
ON SECOND THOUGHT
I watched the Chiefs last night and, a week after writing about them, I’d like to make one change: trade for a real wide receiver. Yes, Rashee Rice is going to be good. He flashes almost every week. But aside from Travis Kelce, there isn’t anyone making something happen on a consistent basis. I know my first inclination was to let Mahomes and Andy Reid figure it out. I think they tried. Now who that is, I have no idea. I’d suggest Evans, who clearly seems like he won’t be back with Tampa, but the Bucs are winning right now and may not want to part with him, knowing they’ll probably get a comp pick. As for the salary cap, stop. If they want someone, they’ll make it happen.
NERD NUMBERS
- Puka Nacua had seven receptions for 71 yards and 1 TD in the Rams Week 5 loss vs PHI. That gives the rookie 46 catches and 572 yards in his first five career games. Both are most in the Super Bowl Era.
- Commanders QB Sam Howell has been sacked (29) & hit (50) more than any QB in the NFL in 2023. They are also on the Pats' schedule, and at this rate, Howell will be lucky to be in one piece. His backup? Jacoby Brissett.
- The Dolphins set an NFL record for the most yards in the first five games in a season (2,568). That broke 2000 St. Louis Rams record of 2,527 (The Greatest Show on Turf). The 2011 Patriots are third on the all-time list.
