2. A wide receiver with star potential
Julian Edelman isn’t going to outperform his physical gifts forever. Counting on him to catch 100 passes again in 2020 would be a mistake by the New England front office. Instead, it’s time for the Patriots to invest in a No. 1 wide receiver for the future.
The good news is that Belichick won’t need to thrust a player into that role immediately. Edelman still profiles as a very good wideout. It’s also safe to assume N’Keal Harry can take a major step forward in his second season as a professional.
None of that excuses the Patriots from finding a legitimate No. 1 wideout to develop. This could be a position New England elects to address in the draft. They spent a high pick on Harry last year, but they may be forced to double down on the wide receiver position this April.
The options at the position in free agency are much less promising. A.J. Green would be a phenomenal short-term fix for the Patriots, but it looks like he’ll stay put in Cincinnati. Veterans like Amari Cooper or Emmanuel Sanders should also end up outside of New England’s price range.
Similar to the situation with New England’s tight ends, an upgrade is required no matter who starts at quarterback for the ‘Pats in 2020. The organization has leaned on Brady’s brilliance to prop up their passing game for too long.