We continue our training camp positional preview series by looking at the wide receiver room.
Wide receivers: Kendrick Bourne, Ja'Lynn Polk, Pop Douglas, Javon Baker, K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Reagor, Kayshon Boutte, JaQuae Jackson, David Wallis, and Kawaan Baker.
So many bodies, so many questions. There is more promise than the Patriots tried to convince you of in years past, and I'd be surprised if they haven't at least raised the floor of this unit. But will that be enough, along with the new QBs and new system, to elevate a passing offense that was mind-numbingly horrible a year ago? I know this recap is going to lead to uncontrolled fits of rage, depression, and disgust. Still, it is a reminder that the Pats were 31st in EPA (only better than the Jets and their Zach Wilson/Tim Boyle/Trevor Siemian Pu pu platter), 31st in EPA per pass, 30th in scoring, and 31st in yards per play. Unpleasant doesn't even begin to describe what we witnessed and what some players lived through (and, in many cases, contributed to).
I believe the Pats will carry six receivers (Bourne's recovery may influence that), meaning there could be a competitive joust for one or two spots this summer. Age and money (JuJu) vs. unfulfilled promise (Thornton/Reagor) vs. what exactly is he (Boutte)? Grab your popcorn...
Let's start with Bourne, as his situation bears monitoring.
The guess here - and that's all it is - is he ends up beginning the regular season on PUP, but aside from the workout videos he's posted and the consistent chatter that he's ahead of schedule, no one will truly know how far along the 28-year-old is until he laces them up, beats press coverage, then shows enough wiggle and burst to make defenders miss in the open field (oh, is that all?). I've written it before, but it generally takes a full year for the ACL guys to feel like themselves again. That would mean sometime around mid-season for Bourne.
If that timeline holds, multiple youngins will get a chance to make a mark: Polk, Baker, Boutte, Thornton and even Reagor. All had their moments during the spring, but for my money, Polk, the second-rounder out of Washington, was the most consistent in the sessions we saw. He runs better than his timed speed, shows a good understanding of leverage, and snatches the ball with his hands, not waiting for throws to get into his body. Don't want to take my word for it? How about the great Steve Smith Jr., who said of Polk during the pre-draft process, "He's not fast. He's not slow. He can play football...He's not going to outrun many people, but he's strong at the point of attack. He's strong with the ball in his hands. That's what gives him that advantage. Eye and hand coordination cannot be taught. Ja'Lynn Polk's ability to adjust to the football is excellent."
I concur.
His fellow rookie, Baker, shined early in workouts but was slowed by an injury that didn't keep him off the field but kept him out of competitive drills. Baker has consistency issues he needs to address, but he could see a bunch of snaps as the "X" receiver if he can overcome that, and Thornton continues to be unavailable. And that's exactly what he was for the back half of these offseason workouts. Unfortunate but par for the course to this point for the former second-rounder out of Baylor. Thornton had appeared to be primed for a more active role in the offense, beginning the spring as the first guy up at the "X" and had a couple nice days in t-shirts and shorts. We've never seen Thornton's speed play with any regularity, so it's still a projection, but that part of his game isn't matched by any other receiver on the roster. Still, if he doesn't have a great training camp, I envision the end of the road here in Foxborough.
Boutte is getting a lot of love from some of the Patriots beat for his performance this spring. He deserved it for his final day of mandatory mini-camp. Multiple TD catches in red zone work, showing strong hands and excellent body control. However - and sorry if I have to be the bearer of bad news - Boutte was barely visible in the sessions prior. Kind of important, no?
Reagor's best chance to impact the Pats is on special teams, assuming they like his makeup when it comes to kickoff returns and the new rules (some have opined that his skillset needs to be a combo platter of old-school kick returner and punt returner, which is a little more stop-and-start).
You may be wondering why I haven't mentioned Pop yet. Nothing he did last year surprised me, and if you told me he's catching 75 balls for 900 yards this season, I'd nod in agreement. Douglas looks better. Stronger. Just as quick. Pretty consistently catching the football while developing a good rapport with Jacoby Brissett. He's the one guy the Pats have that could get open in a phone booth. The biggest issue for Pop is proving that at his size - maybe 190 pounds? - he can stay healthy. That wasn't easy for him a year ago.
As for Osborn, he's lined up as the "Z" receiver in Bourne's absence. His hands were a little spotty in OTAs and mandatory mini-camp, but I liked his ability to carve out some space for himself, especially in the lower red area. He's a professional, and the room needs that.
There was some positive buzz about Smith-Schuster going into the spring. I was told he was running and moving better, and JuJu himself said he was 100% for the first time as a Patriot. Then, as the weeks went on, he wasn't separating - hell, he wasn't being targeted - and it feels like the only thing that gets him a spot on the roster is the money invested or a natural disaster. As Jakobi Meyers (who would be awfully nice on this roster) said - and I'm paraphrasing - the game and the toll it takes on players seems to have caught up with JuJu.
This group's floor is higher, even if the ceiling is still lower than most wide receiver rooms across the league (unless one of the rookies erupts). But there's more competency, and that's a start.