For all the money they’ve spent so far in free agency, it’s something of a surprise that the New England Patriots haven’t yet signed a wide receiver.
The entire New England passing game was a disaster this past season, even for all the promise shown by rookie quarterback Drake Maye. The Patriots had the fewest passing yards per game of any team in football, while no individual pass-catcher broke the 700-yard mark.
Unfortunately, the Cincinnati Bengals never allowed Tee Higgins to hit free agency, while Chris Godwin re-signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Patriots also weren’t able to land D.K. Metcalf via trade, though the price the Pittsburgh Steelers wound up paying would have arguably been too much to surrender.
What’s left for New England to do? One NFL writer believes they have another backup target in free agency to pursue.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox named the Patriots as a top remaining suitor for Buffalo Bills wideout Amari Cooper, a five-time Pro Bowler coming off a head-scratching down year.
“With Chris Godwin re-signing with the Buccaneers, Cooper might be the best remaining option for teams seeking a No. 1-caliber receiver. The only wideout with a comparable track record is Stefon Diggs—who is coming off of a torn ACL,” Knox wrote.
“The Patriots need a No. 1 receiver to pair with Drake Maye, and they were reportedly interested in landing Godwin when free agency began.”
Cooper, 30, has 10,033 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns thus far in his 10-year career. He’s played for four teams already, having been traded twice, and he has seven seasons with at least 1,000 yards under his belt.
If the Patriots are willing to look past Cooper’s underwhelming stats in 2024 (547 yards in 14 games), they could find a diamond in the rough. After all, he set his current career-high in receiving yards just a year ago, with 1,250.
More NFL: Cowboys taking gamble on underwhelming Bills first-rounder with surprise trade