The first released photo of a black hole could have come out of Foxborough with the dark, endless pit of uncertainty at receiver for the New England Patriots. Julian Edelman isn’t getting any younger, and Josh Gordon’s 2019 return is far from a sure thing. Leave it to coach Bill Belichick to be the only man in the room with a clue to what comes next, and there isn’t an analyst, league executive or scientist that can predict what’s in that head.
We’ll skip past the fancy talk and get right down to business: The Patriots need offensive playmakers. More importantly, quarterback Tom Brady needs reliable receiving options to continue winning his fight with Father Time and competing for Super Bowls.
Belichick is acutely aware of legendary tight end Rob Gronkowski’s retirement and the Patriots’ receiving corps being an Edelman injury away from complete catastrophe. Despite what the Twitter coaches say, he knows a thing or two about building a championship roster.
He also has the draft capital to turn the poor Patriots narrative on its head. Here are five dream scenarios for the Patriots at the 2019 NFL Draft.
Patriots go for the big fish in D.K. Metcalf
The Patriots haven’t reached in the first round for a receiver since Belichick took over the team in 2000, but a chance at a freak athletic specimen like Ole Miss’ D.K. Metcalf could be enough to get the gears turning in the old noggin.
I wrote a piece awhile back on how the Patriots couldn’t afford to depend on Gordon’s availability in 2019. Obviously, his mere presence on the outside changes the whole dynamic of what the team is capable of doing offensively, but his absence does leave something to be desired, particularly without Gronkowski or Chis Hogan on the roster.
Metcalf, 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, would instantly project to the outside, giving Brady an insurance policy for Gordon in another rare, big-bodied receiving target to take the top off defenses. There is enough top-end speed with this prospect to leave defensive backs choking on his smoke. As for the few that are able to stay stride for stride with him, good luck winning in a jump-ball scenario. Metcalf has made enough circus catches to set up a tent and sell out his own show.
Not even a Nightmare on Elm Street can compare to the cold sweats opposing coaches would be waking up to if Metcalf, Gordon and Edelman were somehow on the field together.
Trade second-round pick for Cardinals QB Josh Rosen
How convenient would it be if the Patriots landed Brady’s successor with a second-round draft pick? Flipping a former first-round draft pick for a bargain bin price is a Belichick kind of move, and it would potentially put a pin in the ballooned hopes around the league of the Patriots dynasty ending sooner rather than later.
That reclamation project for the Patriots could come in the form of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Josh Rosen. The green grass scenario is playing out right now for the Cardinals organization, and the prospective orchard of Kyler Murray, the 2018 Heisman Trophy winner, appears to have the more vibrant color.
That doesn’t mean Murray will actually go on to have a better career than Rosen. Quite the contrary, Rosen could really flourish if he ends up in the right situation—like playing and learning under the greatest coach and quarterback of all time. It would be foolish to completely slam the door on Rosen’s talent after one season. He’s a high I.Q. player with all of the intangibles to develop into a legitimate star one day.
Cardinals general manager Steve Keim better be thinking long and hard about this move.
T.J. Hockenson chosen as the heir to the Gronkowski throne
The raw power, speed, elite blocking, logic-defying receiving abilities and college frat boy sense of humor—there will never be another Rob Gronkowski. That man is a living legend that will go down as arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history. So how do the Patriots go about replacing one of the only players on their roster that is truly irreplaceable?
By going out and buying high on that brand spanking new convertible out of Iowa, TJ Hockenson.
The Patriots are basically looking to replace a unicorn, and Hockenson just so happens to be another one of those rare breed talents capable of anchoring the offensive line and holding up in pass protection, along with being a future All-Pro caliber playmaker.
Austin Seferian-Jenkins was an interesting grab for the Patriots in free agency, and while he should help them on offense, they still need to go all-in on finding the best replacement possible for Gronkowski. Hockenson is hands-down that player in this draft.
Patriots trade up for two first-round picks
Draft night is usually uneventful from a Patriots perspective. It’s either the team taking a late, first-round flier, or Belichick stockpiling picks by trading backwards and avoiding the round altogether. However, they could be in a position to double-dip for a second consecutive year if there’s a player Belichick feels strongly about.
There should be plenty of teams in the latter half of the draft willing to listen. Perhaps the Patriots would consider fortifying the defensive front by going after Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins. The team would then have an extra pick to address either the tight end or wide receiver position.
Something is brewing in the Patriots’ boardroom, and they aren’t going to take a passive approach after missing out on several key free agents in March. This could be one of the more intriguing draft nights in the Belichick era.
Surprise trade for an elite veteran receiver
Most of you probably skipped all of the other dream scenarios to get to this one, which is understandable considering Brady could have less help at receiver than Shane Falco in 2019.
Maybe this is the year that Belichick pulls a rabbit out of the hoodie by swapping one or more of his 12 draft picks for another proven veteran playmaker on offense. Call him Santa Belichick because it would be Christmas in April for Brady if the Patriots went out and got a dynamic player like Julio Jones, A.J. Green or even Adam Thielen.
A man can dream, right?
One thing to consider is the fact that Belichick facilitated a trade in the 2007 NFL Draft to acquire Hall of Fame wideout Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders. The Patriots receiving corps didn’t look all that great before they made that move, either.
