The New England Patriots are clearly in need of some help offensively, and while the answer may start at quarterback, the Patriots could also use some better weapons in the aerial attack.
ESPN’s Aaron Schatz thinks New England will address that problem this offseason, predicting that the Pats will sign Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in free agency.
Schatz also said he thinks the Patriots will take a young quarterback in the first round of the NFL Draft. If they end up doing that, they will obviously have to supply the incoming youngster with more help, and acquiring Pittman would certainly be a good start.
Pittman is coming off of the best season of his professional career, as he established career highs in receptions (109) and receiving yards (1,152) to go along with four touchdowns.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at the University of Southern California, was selected by the Colts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
After a relatively uneventful rookie campaign in which Pittman caught 40 passes for 503 yards and a score, he broke out in his second season, snaring 88 balls for 1,082 yards while reaching the end zone six times. He took a bit of a step back in 2022, registering 99 catches for 925 yards and four touchdowns, but he definitely rebounded in a big way this year.
The Patriots are slated to have tons of cap room this offseason, so they could absolutely afford to sign Pittman, who will represent one of the top available wide outs on the market this March.
Of course, New England will surely face some stiff competition from Indianapolis, which will also have plenty of cap space and will surely make an attempt to re-sign Pittman.
The Pats went 4-13 in 2023, representing their worst mark under Bill Belichick. Belichick took over as head coach all the way back in 2000.
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