Here’s how Patriots could find No. 1 WR after not trading for Aiyuk

Here’s how Patriots could find No. 1 WR after not trading for Aiyuk originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The New England Patriots reportedly will not acquire Brandon Aiyuk on the trade market despite offering the San Francisco 49ers star a lucrative contract that would have made him one of the NFL’s highest-paid wide receivers.

The failed pursuit of Aiyuk is a setback for the Patriots in their quest to find a legitimate No. 1 wideout. It’s possible — although unlikely — they already have a No. 1 caliber wide receiver on the roster after drafting Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker back in April.

But if not, there will be other options available to the Patriots in the not-so-distant future.

For example, they are projected to have around $78 million of salary cap space in the 2025 offseason, per OverTheCap, the second-most of any team. This kind of financial flexibility would allow them to sign a premier left tackle and wide receiver, while also taking care of some other weak spots on the roster. The 2025 free agent class has the potential to be loaded at wide receiver.

Another option for the Patriots is the 2025 NFL Draft. The Patriots are expected to be one of the worst teams in the league again, which means they could pick in the top 10 for the second consecutive year.

The last time New England had back-to-back top 10 picks was 1993 (Drew Bledsoe, No. 1) and 1994 (Willie McGinest, No. 4). The 2025 draft class is expected to have at least two can’t-miss WR prospects (Luther Burden III and Tetairoa McMillan).

Which wide receivers could the Patriots potentially target in free agency and the draft next year? Let’s take a look at some of the best options.

2025 free agents

CeeDee Lamb, Cowboys

Tee Higgins, Bengals

Stefon Diggs, Texans

Chris Godwin, Buccaneers

Amari Cooper, Browns

Marquise Brown, Chiefs

Diontae Johnson, Panthers

Keenan Allen, Bears

DeAndre Hopkins, Titans

Mike Williams, Jets

Brandin Cooks, Cowboys

The 2025 free agent class is pretty deep at wide receiver, which is great…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/heres-patriots-could-no-1-191832216.html

Author : NBC Sports Boston

Publish date : 2024-08-07 19:29:07

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.