Patriots Urged to Fill Major Need

The New England Patriots are being urged to make a trade to fill this major roster need.

Sep 15, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo talks with running back Antonio Gibson (4) before a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have a plethora of needs up and down their roster, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

However, one of their most glaring holes is at the wide receiver position, where the Patriots may have the weakest group of pass catchers in the NFL.

That's why Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox is urging New England to swing a trade for a legitimate No. 1 receiver before the Nov. 5 deadline.

"For New England, salvaging the season now means developing their quarterback of the future and getting him valuable experience without getting him hurt or destroying his confidence," Knox wrote. "That could be a problem with the Patriots' current collection of pass-catchers."

Knox then added that the Pats should pursue a veteran wide out like Davante Adams or Amari Cooper in order to make life easier for Drake Maye.

Of course, there are hurdles to clear there.

Adams has requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders, and it seems hard to imagine that the 31-year-old would be perfectly fine with being dealt to a rebuilding Patriots squad.

Meanwhile, Cooper is set to be a free agent next March, and the smart money is on the five-time Pro Bowler signing with a contender...or at least a team with some hope of making the playoffs in 2025.

New England would probably be better off pursuing a young receiver, such as Cincinnati Bengals star Tee Higgins. Yes, Higgins is slated to hit free agency next offseason as well, but at least he is just 25 years old and would probably be more amendable to staying in Foxborough if the money is right.

Regardless, it's going to be tough for the Pats to actually consummate an impactful trade given the current state of the franchise.

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