Former 7-Time Pro Bowl Bucs Wide Receiver Suggested to Land with Patriots

From Tampa Bay to New England?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' 2022 wide receiver room was thought to be one of the deepest and most talented, however, they dealt with a magnitude of injuries and couldn't quite get the most out of what was initially expected.

Now with free agency underway, many of the Buccaneers' depth at the position will be heading elsewhere as we have already seen with Scotty Miller heading to the Atlanta Falcons. Another wide receiver from last year's team will likely also be heading out of Tampa Bay - Julio Jones.

Jones' latter portion of his career can best be somewhat defined by the number of injuries that have withheld him from being the once dominant force he used to be during his prime.

READ MORE: Former Buccaneers' Head Coach Bruce Arians Praises Baker Mayfield

The Buccaneers were hoping to find some sort of the old Julio Jones when they brought him in the pair with Tom Brady, but Jones, fighting injuries, was only able to muster 24 catches for 299 yards and two touchdowns. With Brady now retired, and the Bucs looking a different direction, Jones will most likely be headed to another team that will be looking to add depth in their WR room.

According to Jordy McElroy of the USA Today's Patriots Wire, the former Buccaneer wide receiver would be a great veteran pickup by Tom Brady's former team, the New England Patriots.

"There was a time when Julio Jones joining the Patriots was considered one of the league’s greatest pipe dreams. Just imagine the passing numbers the team could have put up with legendary quarterback Tom Brady throwing the ball to Jones when he was still in his prime.

Unfortunately, that dream never came to fruition.

Brady has retired from football, and Jones is clearly in the twilight of his Hall of Fame-worthy career. However, the Patriots could still use a big-bodied receiver that can threaten on the outside.

Jones would give them that in an AFC East division that looks to be the toughest in the league."

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are set with their solid three starters in Godwin, Evans, and Gage, so looking to get younger and more consistent depth will be the team's end goal leading into the offseason.

As for the New England Patriots, they could use some help at the wide receiver position as perhaps their best WR from the past couple of seasons, Jakobi Meyers, has signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.

READ MORE: Baker Mayfield Turned Down Offer From AFC Contending Team

With the loss of the Meyers, the Patriots went out and signed Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster from the Kansas City Chiefs to pair alongside veteran Devante Parker and Kendrick Bourne. Those wideouts aren't necessarily game-breakers, but adding in another big-body deep target like Julio Jones could offer more opportunities for those other guys to get open as long as Jones' health remains.

Stick with BucsGameday for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 offseason.

Follow BucsGameday on Twitter and Facebook