Of all the teams lacking talent at wide receiver, the New England Patriots might have it worst.
In 2024, DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte were the Patriots’ top two wideouts, both failing to top 700 yards. Elsewhere, Kendrick Bourne struggled to get playing time, while rookie second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk turned 33 targets into just 87 yards.
Quarterback Drake Maye could become a star in the NFL, but not if these are the types of wideouts he has at his disposal. And there are still some intriguing candidates for the Patriots to sign remaining in free agency.
On Wednesday, Jarrett Bailey of USA Today predicted that the Patriots would land one of those candidates: former Chicago Bears wideout Keenan Allen, who made six Pro Bowl appearances earlier in his career with the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Drake Maye still doesn’t have any sort of proven receiver on the roster. Keenan Allen did wonders for Maye’s draft classmate, Caleb Williams, in 2024, catching 70 passes and seven touchdowns,” Bailey wrote.
“Allen shouldn’t be the only move the Patriots make at receiver – they still need a legit No. 1 boundary playmaker – but it’s a move they should make, nonetheless.”
Despite missing the first two games of the season, Allen put up 744 yards for the Bears, second on the team behind D.J. Moore. The prior year, he had a remarkable 1,243 yards in just 13 games in his final year as a Charger.
Allen will be 33 this season, with 12 years of NFL experience under his belt. He might not be in the league much longer, but the Patriots could look to get one, perhaps two more productive seasons out of him before he closes up shop.
More NFL: 49ers urged to cut ties with Brock Purdy amid high profile extension talks
Read the full article here
