Patriots all-time receiving leaders: Highlighting the most prolific pass-catchers

There are few teams that are as recognized for excellent passing attacks as the New England Patriots throughout the 2000s. Quarterback Tom Brady led several passing offenses that felt virtually unbeatable, in large part due to Brady's greatness, but partially because of many tough, talented, and dependable pass-catchers that surrounded him. 

Wide receiver Wes Welker and tight end Rob Gronkowski are two of the most recognizable Patriots of all time, who both sit atop their own respective receiving categories in the club's record books. But receiving greatness even precedes the Brady era, as Stanley Morgan remains a critical part of Patriots history and of the receiver position, mostly thanks to his contributions to New England's passing game.

Read below for a closer look at the Patriots' all-time franchise leaders in the three key receiving categories...

Wes Welker walked so receivers like Julian Edelman could run. After three unsuccessful seasons milling around various NFL teams, the Patriots took a chance on the slot receiver, often counted out because of his relative lack of high-end NFL strength and speed. Welker immediately provided head coach Bill Belichick with a return on investment, catching a league-leading 112 passes for 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns.

Throughout his six years calling Foxborough home, Welker was selected to five Pro Bowls and four All-Pro teams, including twice on the first team. He led the league in receptions three times, and surpassed 100 catches in a season in five of his six years as a Patriot. Additionally, Welker's success as a smaller receiver paved the way for slot receivers everywhere, as he helped prove that quickness and short-area burst were often more effective in shaking defenders than pure speed. 

Unfortunately, Welker never won a Super Bowl with the Patriots, as New England lost the only two Super Bowls it appeared in with him on the team. Regardless, he made himself a Patriots icon during his time with the team, and his elite production is still easy to appreciate.

Rob Gronkowski is the only surefire Pro Football Hall of Famer on this list. Perhaps the greatest tight end to ever play, Gronkowski was a once-in-a-lifetime combination of size, strength, physicality, hands, and agility.

Countless announcers have observed that any defensive back assigned to Gronk was far too small for the job, while any linebacker simply could not keep up with him downfield. He was a virtually unsolvable problem for opposing defenses for the better part of a decade, and was a huge part of New England's prolonged success.

Where Gronkowski really dominated was in the red zone. As the field shrank, his physical advantages over defenders became magnified, especially if he was left in one-on-one coverage. Gronk scored double-digit touchdowns in each of his first three seasons as a Patriot. He managed that feat two more times, but various injuries prevented him from reaching that mark even more consistently.

The tight end was clearly Brady's favorite receiver when the offense got down near the end zone, thanks to his unique blend of receiving abilities and athleticism for a tight end.

All of Gronkowski's statistics allowed him to consistently make the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in campaigns, when he was healthy. He ended his career in New England with three Super Bowl victories, five Pro Bowls, four First Team All-Pro selections, and even a Comeback Player of the Year award. His prolific career ensured he would go down as one of the very best players to wear a Patriots uniform, regardless of position.

Morgan might not be the most recognizable name on this list, but he is certainly the most productive. In addition to being the most productive receiver in New England history, Morgan ranks inside the top 50 all-time in receiving yards. Making his achievements even more impressive is the era in which he played. Morgan was a receiver in what would now be considered an extremely run-heavy attack, limiting his opportunities to contribute to the offense.

Despite that, Morgan put together a wildly impressive career for the Pats. Over 13 seasons, Morgan made four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams while consistently filling the role of a number one receiver for a New England team that desperately needed one. While Morgan never won a Super Bowl, he deserves recognition for the consistently good play that landed him atop this list.

It's no surprise that two of the three players mentioned above played with Tom Brady. Brady's role in the franchise's success speaks for itself, but conversely, he may not have amassed the incredible numbers or the playoff success that he did without players the caliber of Welker and Gronkowski. The only New England receiver to be the subject of league-wide attention outside of the Brady era is Morgan. Despite the attention, Morgan remains one of the most underrated receivers ever, who would likely be in the Hall of Fame if he had been a part of a Super Bowl-winning team.