New England Patriots Signings Do Not Eliminate Need for a Receiver in NFL Draft

Slowly but surely, the New England Patriots have added to their depth chart and talent level in the pass-catching department. But despite the progress they've made, there's still work to be done at the wide receiver position.

Make no mistake; the arrival of tight end Martellus Bennett signals a step toward the two-tight end offense that tore through defenses from 2010-2012. In turn, the Patriots are taking a step away from three-receiver sets. Thus, there could be less of an emphasis on wide receivers in general in the Patriots offense. 

That shifting of the landscape is most likely to impact a slot receiver such as Danny Amendola, who ran 83.6 percent of his routes from the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. Receivers who are better on the boundary—such as Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan and Nate Washington—are less likely to be effected by the change.

But what about those boundary receivers? Edelman is the only known quantity on the depth chart right now.

There's Aaron Dobson, who has struggled in a battle against injuries throughout the first three years of his career. He has the physical tools to be the boundary receiver the Patriots need, but it remains to be seen if he can be the kind of consistent player the Patriots want. He was competing with Brian Tyms and Brandon Gibson for a roster spot in 2015's training camp, and that could be the case once again this summer.

Hogan has been a valuable contributor, but has never been a featured receiver in the way that the Patriots featured Brandon LaFell in 2014. His career highs of 41 receptions, 450 yards and four touchdowns are below the production he'll need to be a star as the boundary receiver of the future for the Patriots. 

Washington, on the other hand, has made an impact at various stops throughout his 11-year career; but since 2012, his per-season average of 48 receptions, 742 yards and three touchdowns indicate his status as a smaller piece to the puzzle. 

Hogan and Washington combined for 83 receptions, 1,108 yards and six touchdowns last season. That would be an impressive season for one receiver. Unfortunately, that's not the way it works. The Patriots need one receiver who can maximize his time on the field by consistently getting open. 

But the hole at wide receiver is a little deeper than that.

Beyond the need to find a complementary receiver opposite Edelman on the boundary, there's also the ever-looming threat of an Edelman injury. The offense went into the tubes when Edelman went down in 2015, and the Patriots need a better backup plan in order to mitigate the damage of a repeat occurrence in 2016.

Patriots offense	Weeks 1-10	Weeks 11-17
Comp %	67.8	59.1
Passer rating	111.1	88.8
3rd down %	48.7	32
Red zone %	35.4	19
Pressure %	30.6	41.6

Keshawn Martin had some nice moments in that role, but it wouldn't be like Bill Belichick to stand pat without creating a little more competition for that backup duty.

Fortunately, the Patriots can do something about it. 

There are plenty of talented receivers available in the draft. 

Pittsburgh wide receiver Tyler Boyd said on Trib Live Radio that he has had a private workout with the Patriots during the predraft process. The 6'1", 197-pound wideout is considered a second-round prospect by Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com. Brugler says Boyd compares to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Nelson Agholor, a boundary receiver, but adds that Boyd's ideal fit may be in the slot.

Another good fit would be Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas. At 6'3" and 212 pounds, Thomas also fits the profile of a boundary receiver, but he isn't the change-of-direction athlete the Patriots typically favor at the position. What he lacks in stop-start quickness, he makes up with route-running savvy, according to Brugler.

Patriots coaches often preach that the job description for a wide receiver is relatively simple: get open and catch the ball. It's not that easy, though; in New England, the emphasis is never a receiver's athleticism. The focus is always on his football intelligence and ability to get on the same page with quarterback Tom Brady.

The Patriots should be in the market for at least one, maybe two receivers in the draft, and there are several wide receivers that could be in the Patriots' crosshairs when the draft comes around. Given their remaining needs at the position, they should clearly have their eyes on someone.