Taking action at the wide receiver position should have been high up on the to-do list for the New England Patriots this offseason.
The Patriots have addressed the position … well, somewhat.
There’s still a lot of time left in the offseason to do something, but the bulk of free agency is over and New England only made a small handful of moves regarding wideouts.
They really didn’t give the positional group a major shakeup compared to what it resembled last year.
Sure, the Patriots cut ties with DeVante Parker and re-signed Kendrick Bourne and Jalen Reagor while also bringing in K.J. Osborn.
But those moves shouldn’t have Patriots fans expecting much more out of New England’s receivers, which routinely failed to provide any explosive plays in an inept offensive unit.
The Patriots can still find upgrades at the position through the draft or in the trade market, but for now, this is how the receiver depth chart looks:
That’s certainly not a group that will strike fear into opposing defenses and one that comes with plenty of questions. Can Osborn handle being a No. 1 receiver?
He provided steady production the last three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, but was never a top option due to the presence of Justin Jefferson and getting passed over by 2023 first-round pick Jordan Addison.
Then there is the question with Bourne and how he will bounce back after tearing his ACL last season.
If Bourne is healthy — he’s adamant that he’s ahead of schedule with his rehab and will be ready for training camp — he showed he can be a reliable option for whoever will be at quarterback for the Patriots.
