Patriots' Top Players to Avoid in 2023 NFL Free Agency

The New England Patriots can't afford another set of average or failed signings in the passing game.

The 2021 offseason bonanza that brought in Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith has not paid off as much as the franchise wanted it to.

Henry is the only member of that quartet with consecutive 500-yard receiving seasons, and even his 2022 could be labeled as a disappointment because his reception and touchdown totals dropped.

New England needs to put together the right combination of targets for Mac Jones to work with inside a division in which it could fall to last if the New York Jets find the right quarterback.

The Buffalo Bills have been an elite team in the AFC for a few years, and the Miami Dolphins could be on that path with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa.

Bill Belichick and his staff need to find the right options at wide receiver, and that may start with re-signing Jakobi Meyers.

The Patriots brass can't go through another failed offseason at wide receiver, and the lessons learned from 2021 should give them a clear list of avoidable free-agent targets.

Michael Thomas

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 25: Michael Thomas #13 of the New Orleans Saints catches a pass while being tackled by Donte Jackson #26 of the Carolina Panthers during the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

There will be an NFL team that takes a risk on Michael Thomas.

The Patriots can't be that team.

New England needs a wide receiver, or two, that can be relied upon for every game of the regular season, and hopefully for a few playoff contests as well.

Thomas played in 10 games over the last three seasons for the New Orleans Saints and no one knows if he can return to the 1,000-yard form from his first four years in the NFC South.

The 29-year-old has the potential to be one of the best comeback stories of the 2023 season after dealing with countless ailments since 2021, but the Patriots can't waste money on a what-if.

The Patriots could sign Thomas and he may not play in most games, like he has for the last three seasons, and that could be the difference in the team making the playoffs or not.

New England needs a healthy and consistent lineup of pass-catchers to set Jones up for the most success possible.

Maybe the Patriots would consider him more if they had more established talent at the position, but right now, Bourne and Tyquan Thornton are the top wideouts on the roster.

If Meyers does not re-sign, the Patriots do not want to be stuck with an injury-prone wideout as one of the prospective top offensive producers.

Mecole Hardman

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 29: Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (17) runs the ball during the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals on January 29th, 2023 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Mecole Hardman would be a perfect free-agent signing if the Patriots were looking for complementary pieces at wide receiver.

Hardman has been just that during his tenure with the Kansas City Chiefs. He has 16 career touchdowns, but has never had a season with more than 700 receiving yards.

The Georgia product fits a similar profile as Agholor and Bourne two offseasons ago. Agholor came to the Patriots after his first-career 800-yard season. He did not have over 500 receiving yards in his two seasons with the team. Bourne had a single year with over 600 receiving yards before entering Foxborough.

Bourne came through for the franchise in 2021, as he produced 800 receiving yards, but his production dipped in 2022. He had 20 fewer catches, 366 less receiving yards and a drop off of five to one touchdowns.

New England can't afford to have a one-year wonder, like Bourne. It needs a consistent top-tier pass-catcher and Hardman does not fit that role.

Hardman could be a great addition in free agency if the Patriots swing big in the trade market to land someone, like DeAndre Hopkins or Brandin Cooks, but that is the best-case hypothetical offseason scenario.

Jarvis Landry

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CHARLOTTE, NC - SEPTEMBER 25: Jarvis Landry (5) of the New Orleans Saints lines up and awaits the snap during a football game between the Carolina Panthers and the New Orleans Saints on Sep 25, 2022, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, NC. (Photo by David Jensen/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

You can apply some similar reasoning to not signing Thomas and Hardman to Jarvis Landry.

Landry was on the field for nine games in 2022, which was the lowest appearance total of his nine-year career.

The Patriots would be convinced to avoid him solely based on the injury-riddled 2022 campaign.

New England's other key reason to avoid Landry is it does not want to sign a collection of depth pieces when it can save salary cap room for a top-tier playmaker.

Landry's situation is a bit different because he was once a No. 1-caliber wide out with Miami and Cleveland. He has three 1,100-yard seasons and two more with over 900 receiving yards.

The Patriots could land the wide out on a one-year deal at minimum salary to support other signings, but given the current state of the roster, it is hard to justify that situation until another move is made.

The thought process on Landry could change as the offseason goes on, but he does not make sense in the current landscape of the Patriots' roster build.