The New England Patriots have made a number of thrilling additions to their roster this offseason, however some place teams nonetheless have room for enchancment. Particularly, the large receiver room might use one other weapon for second-year quarterback Drake Maye.
There isn’t a assure Stefon Diggs can be prepared for Week 1 as he recovers from a torn ACL, and the choices after him stay uninspiring. DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kendrick Bourne, Kyle Williams, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker make up the remainder of the WR depth chart as we enter the summer season months.
So, how might the Patriots additional bolster their receiver room with free company and the draft behind them? How about buying and selling for a disgruntled star?
Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin is “pissed off” with the shortage of progress that has been made on a long-term contract and “unexpectedly left voluntary exercises after initially attending” because of the dispute, in accordance with NFL insider Jordan Shultz. McLaurin is coming into the ultimate 12 months of the three-year, $68.4 million deal he signed in 2022 and is coming off his fifth consecutive season with at the very least 1,000 receiving yards.
Buying McLaurin would take vital draft capital, maybe even a first-round draft choose. Ought to the Patriots take into account paying the hefty worth for the 30-year-old?
NBC Sports activities Boston’s Phil Perry and 98.5 The Sports activities Hub’s Marc Bertrand debated that query on Friday’s Early Version.
“I like Terry McLaurin. I feel he is an incredible participant,” Perry stated. “He’s going to be 30 this 12 months, however to me, he’s nearly like a younger 30. He was not a celebrity at Ohio State till actually his final couple years there, and even then, he wasn’t a celebrity. So he was somewhat little bit of a late bloomer in 2017, 2018 at Ohio State, and he has been the mannequin of consistency. I am nonetheless not buying and selling a first-round choose.
“The Patriots are in all probability going to be choosing someplace in the course of the primary spherical, and to me, you must get a younger, building-block sort of participant at a premium place, which I do know McLaurin performs, however that is 5 years cost-effective versus a receiver who’s about to be 30. Once more, I like him, however you are paying him above $30 million a 12 months. I am not making that trade-off.”
Bertrand took the alternative stance, although he does not imagine the Commanders will transfer their prized wideout. In the event that they do, he does not see it costing a first-rounder.
“Would you commerce Will Campbell for Terry McLaurin proper now? I’d,” Bertrand stated. “And so, that’s the reason I’ve to say I’d take into account giving up the first-round choose, regardless that I feel that is a ridiculous worth and a ridiculous ask, and I do not assume that is sensible. I do not assume that is the way in which this is able to go if he does get moved. I feel the worth extra realistically is a second-round choose, which I’d very a lot be keen to surrender if I have been the Patriots.
“I additionally do not assume there’s any likelihood this man leaves Washington. They’re too good of a staff. We noticed how good they have been final 12 months with how they constructed their roster, they usually have been capable of win immediately with a rookie quarterback. The Patriots are dumb. They weren’t capable of do any of these issues. They’d a horrible staff and a horrible roster, and a horrible coach final 12 months that led their rookie quarterback to go 1-9. Commanders good, Patriots dumb, and I do not see this occurring.”
A primary-round choose could also be too steep of a worth, however a expertise of McLaurin’s caliber undoubtedly makes such a deal attractive for a staff ravenous for offensive playmakers. McLaurin racked up 82 catches for 1,096 yards and 13 touchdowns with Washington final season.
