Patriots Rumors: WR to Be Addressed in 2024 NFL Draft After Missing on Calvin Ridley

The New England Patriots are reportedly planning to address their needs at receiver in the 2024 NFL draft after missing out on Calvin Ridley.

Josina Anderson of CBS Sports reported the Patriots have "moved on" from their attempt to address the position in free agency. That would likely take New England out of the running for Mike Williams, who was released by the Los Angeles Chargers on Wednesday.

The Patriots have the No. 3 pick in next month's NFL draft and could take consensus No. 1 wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. They have widely been linked to the draft's top quarterbacks and traded 2021 first-round pick Mac Jones earlier this week, but a pivot is possible.

The more likely scenario would involve the Patriots selecting a quarterback at No. 3 overall and then using their second-round pick on a wideout. Florida State's Keon Coleman and Texas wideouts AD Mitchell and Xavier Worthy could wind up as options depending on how the draft shakes out.

None of those options are considered as high-upside as Harrison, Rome Odunze, Malik Nabers or Brian Thomas Jr., but the 2025 draft is considered a far weaker class at the quarterback spot than this year. The Patriots could follow a similar blueprint to the Cincinnati Bengals, who took Joe Burrow with the top pick in the 2020 draft, landed Tee Higgins at the top of Round 2 and then selected Ja'Marr Chase in the first round of the 2021 draft.

The 2025 draft also doesn't have the same star power at receiver as 2024, but it's still a solid class led by names like Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka and Missouri's Luther Burden.