With the 2024 season in the books, Masslive will examine each position group of patriots, analyzing the operation of the team and where it could be directed in the future. This is an important season for the new Patriots main coach, Mike Vrabel and the owner Robert Kraft. This series continues with the receivers.
Broad receivers: Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’lynn Polk, Javon Baker, John Jiles, Braylon Sanders, Alex Erickson, Jacae Jackson
Contract Situation: It Patriots have a veteran with a larger contract and four receivers In the midst of their new offers.
Bourne, 29, enters the second year of his three -year extension. The veteran is a candidate out of season to be released. Your lid for next season is $ 7.7 million. It is currently the seventh highest on the list. However, it is not guaranteed. If the Patriots Tall Bourne, before June 1, would save $ 4.9 million and owe $ 2.8 in dead money.
Bourne’s coup increased to $ 7.9 by 2026, but only $ 1.4 million signature bonus is guaranteed if it was published.
Douglas and Boutte will enter the third year of their novel offers. Douglas, 24, will have a blow of $ 1.06 million. Bitte, 22, has a blow of $ 1.07 million. Both are signed until 2026.
Polk enters this year in the second year of his novice contract. Will count for $ 2.2 million from the lid next season. Baker is in a place similar to his novice agreement. His success is only $ 1.16 million next season. Both players are signed until 2027.
Jiles signed a future contract that pays $ 840,000. Patriots did not sign Sanders or Erickson on contracts. Jackson is an exclusive rights agent.
2024 Review: The Patriot front sought to renew this depth graph, but it did not work as no one expected.
KJ Osborn, a veteran team Agent, KJ Osborn, started the first four games before being banking. It was not very productive (seven catches in 18 goals for 57 meters) before being released.
Like Osborn, Thornton started the first week. However, he also fell into the depth graph and was released after capturing four passes by 47 yards.
The two drafts, Polk and Baker, had disappointing new campaigns. Polk’s season was strange. He had a great training field and started five of the first six games. Within this period, it took 10 passes by 78 yards. During the last 11 games, the second round took two passes by 9 meters.
Baker fought with the game book and received little play time. The selection of the fourth round took a 12 meter pass to the final game of the patriots.
Leaving the knee surgery, Bourne lost the first four weeks. It ended with 28 receptions, 305 yards and a touchdown.
This group had two positive stories: Douglas and Boutte.
Boutte had a year of race, ending with 43 receptions, 589 yards and three touchdowns. He took seven passes for 117 yards in the final game. Douglas also had a year of career with 66 receptions, 621 yards and three touchdowns.
The future: Again, the patriots will search for a higher flight receiver.
The team did not have a legitimate receiver number 1 since Julian Edelman. They have not been able to regroup since they did not sign Jakobi Meyers in 2022. Meyers ended with 87 receptions, 1,027 yards and four touchdowns last season.
Patriots desperately need to find Drake Maye a good -faith offensive weapon. Unfortunately, free agency options are limited.
The ball bell is Tee Higgins. It would be a clash if the patriots do not adhere to the 6-foot veteran receiver at the free agency. Higgins, 26, has had durability problems, but when he is healthy, he is a legitimate X recipient. Last year, in 12 games, he took 73 passes for 911 yards with 10 touchdowns.
It is also worth controlling what Patriots do with Bourne. He was successful with Josh McDaniels in 2021 and has a good influence on the changing rooms. But, if the new regime does not like its cover number ($ 7.7 million), it could be cut.
Patriots must discover this position. They have not had a receiver of 900 gardens from Edelman (2019). His last passer in passing to finish with more than 10 Touchdowns was Rob Gronkowski in 2015.
If patriots cannot land hyggins, the next best free agent is Chris Godwin, who comes out of ankle surgery. Other options include Amari Cooper, Stefon Diggs, Keenan Allen, Deandre Hopkins, Darius Slayton and Josh Palmer.
Eliot Wolf could also try the commercial market. Players like DK Metcalf and Tyreek Hill may be available.
Although they find it, patriots need a massive update to the receiver.
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