New England Patriots Urged to Trade for Las Vegas Raiders Receiver
The New England Patriots have a history of developing productive slot receivers. From Troy Brown to Wes Welker to Julian Edelman, having a reliable safety blanket has been a constant in the Patriots' offenses under coach Bill Belichick, at least until recently.
Following the retirement of Edelman, many would argue that Jakobi Meyers provided current starting quarterback Mac Jones with that natural, dependable safety blanket. However, since the decision not to re-sign the 26-year-old last offseason, the Patriots haven't found his replacement.
The Patriots' hand-picked replacement of Meyers, JuJu Smith-Schuster, hasn't lived up to his three-year $33 million contract, leaving Jones without a trusted playmaker out-wide. While there is still time for that to change as Smith-Schuster builds chemistry with Jones, ESPN's Bill Barnwell is proposing the Patriots look elsewhere for help.
In an article proposing 15 trades teams should make before the NFL's trade deadline, Barnwell proposes that the Patriots exchange Kendrick Bourne for Hunter Renfrow and the Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 seventh-round pick.
Sep 24, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow (13) warms up before a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Allegiant Stadium.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
"[Hunter] Renfrow appeared like the sort of player the Patriots could target when he entered the league, and after years of whiffing on wide receiver additions, they desperately need someone who can beat man coverage and give quarterback Mac Jones a reliable safety valve," Barnwell writes. "Meyers was that player for the Pats in years past. Bourne, who had a solid season under McDaniels in 2021, would get his own fresh start after losing his role in 2022 and struggling to make a consistent impact this season."
As the article describes the trade, it would essentially be a swap of "out-of-favor" receivers, as since McDaniels' arrival in Las Vegas, Renfrow's production has drastically dropped. At the same time, Bourne has failed to rediscover his 2021 form, where he totaled a career-high 800 yards and five touchdowns on 55 receptions.
However, so far this season, Bourne has been the more productive player between the two, totaling 218 yards and two touchdowns on 18 receptions. Conversely, Renfrow has just six receptions for 59 yards.
The Patriots passing game has been at the heart of the offensive struggles through five games. While New England ranks No. 17 in passing yards per game, an inability to create explosive plays downfield has led to an offense that struggles to score touchdowns in scoring positions. Will Renfrow solve these problems?
Likely not on his own, but he would give Jones a potential reliable target to help boost a struggling passing attack.
