Patriots 2021 Position Preview: Wide receiver is upgraded, but is it good enough?

Author Matt Dolloff

July 19th, 2021 5:00 AM

The Patriots still don’t have a No. 1 wide receiver. But do they need one?

They certainly didn’t need one during Rob Gronkowski’s career. The Patriots didn’t need a True No. 1 Receiver™ because they had a go-to pass-catcher, who just happened to play tight end.

In 2021, a similar situation needs to play out in Foxborough. Because tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry have the best shot to be the Pats’ No. 1 target and engine of the offense. At wide receiver, the depth chart is certainly improved – it’s at least populated with established NFL players – but it’s ultimately a collection of complementary pieces. They may fit better in the puzzle than others did in the previous two seasons, but none are likely to emerge as a game-changing threat.

That being said, there are some notable changes to cover and intriguing storylines to know as training camp approaches. So here’s a preview of the 2021 Patriots at wide receiver…

• Still The One

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  In an offense bereft of young talent to feel good about, Jakobi Meyers emerged as one of those guys. The 2019 undrafted free agent rose to the top of the depth chart in his second season, playing all or most of the Patriots' offensive snaps by the end of the season. He caught 59 passes for 729 yards, but didn't find the end zone - as a receiver. He did throw two touchdowns on double-passes, good for a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
  
  Those numbers are fine for a third or fourth complementary option in the passing game, but not nearly good enough for your No. 1 target. Meyers may still be in the lead for the top spot at wide receiver, though, considering he has a head start on the team's free-agent additions. And at the end of the day, he's more of a bright spot than a question mark.
  
  But if and when the offense runs through the tight ends, Meyers has a chance to be a strong third option who can make contested catches and excel over the middle of the field.
  
  If it turns out that the Patriots are again leaning on Meyers to play every snap and get the most targets, that wouldn't be a promising sign for the passing game.

• Complementary Reinforcements

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  Bill Belichick misread the market at wide receiver at the start of NFL free agency in March, diving right in for Nelson Agholor at two years and as much as $26 million. The financial hurdles aren't a concern and will be easy to overcome, but Agholor isn't likely to live up to the standard of being the team's highest-paid wide receiver.
  
  Agholor was certainly productive in 2020 for the Raiders, averaging 18.7 yards per catch and scoring eight touchdowns. The 27-year-old could still be ascending after developing relatively slowly in the early part of his career. He will definitely be a legitimate upgrade over Damiere Byrd as a speedy outside receiver who can pop for the occasional big play or long touchdown. He's just never proven able to be the game-changer he was expected to be as a former first-round pick, and he's not the type of player who gets a high target share in New England's passing attack.
  
  The Patriots' other big-money free agent at receiver, Kendrick Bourne, seems like more of a fit for what they're going to want to do through the air. He should spell Meyers as an inside receiver and help the offense move the sticks more than it could in 2020. But Bourne ultimately lacks the speed or athleticism required to be a go-to pass-catcher. Not that he was ever expected to be that in the first place.
  
  Drops have been an issue for both Agholor and Bourne in their careers, and according to reports out of Patriots OTAs and minicamp, the problems cropped back up at times for them in Foxborough. But they will at least be representative NFL wideouts when they're on the field, and Patriots fans will take anything over what they've sat through over the past couple of years.

• The N’Keal Conundrum

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  Now that N'Keal Harry has formally, publicly asked for a trade, it's going to make for an awkward training camp if he ends up having to report. The 2019 first-rounder can't exactly afford to absorb the heavy fines associated with missing camp practices unexcused, like Stephon Gilmore is poised to do. Still on his rookie contract, Harry remains an enigma as to what he has to offer for the Patriots - or any NFL team.
  
  Harry hasn't exactly had a lot of competition on the depth chart. Despite having to battle through injuries in his first two seasons, which included an IR stint for the first half of his rookie season, Harry had opportunities to make headway while healthy. He didn't seize those opportunities. Instead, an undrafted free agent (Meyers) zipped right by him on the depth chart, and Byrd stepped in and supplanted him for snaps right away. It's incredibly disappointing, obviously, for the second receiver taken in a deep draft class.
  
  There's no question that Harry's skill set never seemed like a fit for the Patriots offense. At the time this piece was written, he remained on the roster, but if he ends up traded, it'll have to be an offense that emphasizes a more vertical passing game.
  
  It's going to be on Harry to prove that his fizzling out in New England was the team's fault and not his. But as long as he's here, he's under the proverbial microscope, and this time he has actual competition for his roster spot.
• Gunning For More

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  The Patriots have an All-Pro on their wide receiver depth chart. Well, as a punt returner. Gunner Olszewski overcame some early jitters to excel as the Pats' primary punt returner, earning First Team All-Pro honors across the board. So he's a virtual lock to make the roster.
  
  But what about Olszewski as an actual receiver? He did make it on the field at times in 2020, and he had a clean sheet, catching all five of his targets. One of those catches was an impressive 38-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in a blowout win over the Chargers.
  
  Still, we are talking about a guy who played cornerback in college and is still learning how to literally play the wide receiver position. So a Julian Edelman-like gestation period is needed for Olszewski, who has similarly bulked up in preparation for the punishment that a slot receiver takes.
  
  He may never reach the heights that Edelman did, but Olszewski still has a chance to develop into a reliable slot receiver. And he will provide outstanding value to the roster as a punt returner in the meantime - which could be enough to push a certain former first-round pick off the roster...

• Wild Cards

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  Another problem for Harry: even Isaiah Zuber, another undrafted free agent, made a handful of plays. Zuber was mainly used on non-passing plays like jet sweeps, so he may not have what it takes as a pass-catcher. But Zuber again turned heads at times during OTAs and will be worth monitoring in training camp.
  
  The Pats also signed former Lions receiver Marvin Hall in free agency and Devin Smith to the practice squad late in 2020. Other practice squad candidates still in the fold include Devin Ross and Kristian Wilkerson.
  
  Rookie seventh-round pick Tre Nixon may be able to push the aforementioned names for a practice squad spot, if not the main roster. But he's no lock to make the team, especially considering the crowded competition at the end of the depth chart.

Projected Depth Chart: Wide Receiver

1. Jakobi Meyers
2. Nelson Agholor
3. Kendrick Bourne
4. N’Keal Harry
5. Gunner Olszewski
6. Isaiah Zuber
7. Devin Ross
8. Devin Smith
9. Marvin Hall
10. Tre Nixon

It would be shocking if any wide receiver led the Patriots in catches or touchdowns. But Agholor and Bourne have at least proven able to produce at a serviceable level, if not better, for an NFL offense. That’s more that can be said about most receivers that have come through Foxborough in recent years. They’re just questionable as far as a unit that can consistently make plays at a high level.

The upgrades are real. It remains to be seen if they’re spectacular.

Patriots 2021 Positional Previews: Quarterback | Tight End | Offensive Line | Running Back | Cornerback

• NFL: New York Jets at New England Patriots

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  Jan 3, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Jakobi Meyers (16) runs against the New York Jets during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

• NFL: New England Patriots Minicamp

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  Jun 16, 2021; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Nelson Agholor (13) participates in a drill during the New England Patriots mini camp at the New England Patriots practice complex. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

• NFL: New England Patriots OTA

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  Jun 10, 2021; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (84) participates in drills at OTAs at the New England Patriots practice complex. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
• New England Patriots v Cincinnati Bengals

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  CINCINNATI, OHIO - DECEMBER 15: N'Keal Harry #15 of the New England Patriots runs with the ball as Germaine Pratt #57 of the Cincinnati Bengals is unable to make the tackle during the first half in the game at Paul Brown Stadium on December 15, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

• NFL: New England Patriots Minicamp

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  Jun 15, 2021; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton (1) and wide receiver Gunner Olszewski (80) react during the New England Patriots mini camp at the New England Patriots practice complex. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports

• NCAA Football: South Florida at Central Florida

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  Nov 29, 2019; Orlando, FL, USA; Central Florida Knights wide receiver Tre Nixon (16) makes a reception in front of South Florida Bulls defensive back Mike Hampton (7) during the second half at Spectrum Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
• New England Patriots Training Camp

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  FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 01: Devin Ross #17 looks on during New England Patriots Training Camp at Gillette Stadium on September 01, 2020 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

• NFL: Washington Football Team at Detroit Lions

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  Nov 15, 2020; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Marvin Hall (17) runs for a touchdown after a completed pass against the Washington Football Team during the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

MORE: Full Patriots Training Camp Coverage

Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @mattydsays. You can also email him at [email protected].

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Author Matt Dolloff

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gunner olszewski,isaiah zuber,jakobi meyers,Kendrick Bourne,Matt Dolloff,n'keal harry,Nelson Agholor,New England Patriots,NFL,patriots training camp 2021