The New England Patriots are armed with the No. 3 overall pick and a ton of cap space as they begin life in a post-Belichick world.
Anyone who watched them limp to a 4-13 record in 2023 could tell that the wide receiver position was a significant weakness on this roster and was perhaps the worst receiving unit in the NFL.
In an attempt to mitigate that, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler is reporting that the Patriots are expected to “swing big” and make a run at free agent wideout Calvin Ridley.
𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭: The #Patriots are expected to "swing big" on WR Calvin Ridley, per @JFowlerESPN https://t.co/aMrCkM2pqS pic.twitter.com/1vspvu58Zi
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 10, 2024
Ridley would be a massive upgrade over anyone the Patriots had in 2023.
DeMario Douglas led the team with 561 yards, while veterans JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker combined for 654 yards in 24 games.
The Pats still have Smith-Schuster and Parker locked into contracts through 2025 unless they decide to cut or trade either of them to clear space, but both have been abysmal thus far for the Pats and struggle to generate any sort of separation.
Ridley is coming off a strong comeback season in Jacksonville, where he posted 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns in his first year back from his lengthy year-and-a-half-long gambling suspension.
Ridley could immediately slot in as this team’s WR1, but will likely come with a hefty price tag given his past production.
At 29 years old, he will have a line out the door for his services as he looks to secure what could be his last long-term contract.
Losing Ridley would be a disappointing development for the Jaguars, as they traded for him and waited out the suspension only to get one year out of him.
NEXT: Jaguars Are Restructuring Contract For Key Lineman