Don't Expect Any Real Departures From The Patriots Receiving Staff In 2022.

What are the Patriots doing at wide receiver? They traded for DeVante Parker who is an X with slot versatility and everyone is making speculations. There is belief that the Patriots are going to take a receiver in the draft. And there are three possible candidates I think may be realistically possible but with the guys currently on the roster, there are questions.

First, I believe the Patriots are going to trade N'keal Harry. I'm thinking the Patriots maybe able to get a fifth for Harry. The PFF Mock Draft Simulator thinks the Saints would take Harry straight for the 101st pick. Harry's production doesn't scream a pick that high. This time last year I wanted Harry to be converted to tight end but the window for making him a move tight end has had to of passed.

As for the other guys from the 53 man roster last season, I think all 3 are staying put for 2022. Sure trading one of them maybe worth while but Parker cannot stay healthy and is projected to miss 3 games. Plus Meyers was Mac Jones's security blanket. If Parker stays healthy, at the end of the season, they may let Agholor walk and look for a comp pick for him.

Also if Bourne plays well again this season, he's likely to want too much money and not going to be around after 2023. So Agholor potential gone in 2023 and Bourne potentially gone in 2024. Do the Patriots really want to have to rely on new guys? I don't think so. Bill likes some veteran experience. They Patriots like to look at what they have financially in the future. So I honestly don't think they touch these guys this year.

Now they have Kendrick Wilkerson and Malcolm Perry on the practice squad. Perry has the athletism to make Bourne expendable with a good preseason but that's a huge 'IF'. And Wilkerson could be a potential replacement in 2023 for Nelson Agholor but I think the Patriots are going to try to get a higher level player to replace Agholor.

So there are 19 receivers I like in this draft class. They are all pretty versatility and I think most of them are Z receivers that can play the slot or X. Even if most played the X some in college. The three names I think the Patriots are going to be looking for in the draft are Jahan Dotson, John Metchie, and Jerreth Sterns. Sterns should be able to take the number 4 spot at the very least but I think he's extremely underrated. The other two, are bigger names that fit what the Patriots do schematically. 

I don't know, it's just a thought. At this point of the off-season, anything that doesn't come from the Patriots is just speculation. Keep an open mind and remember in the NFL, things maybe improbable but almost nothing is ever impossible. We still have several more months before the roster is finalized. And Belichick could still throw us a knuckle ball while we're looking for his curve.