New England Patriots Round out Wide Receiver Group by Signing Jordan Matthews
By Jon Dove
The New England Patriots recently signed Jordan Matthews which should put the final touches on their receiving corps.
It’s never been a major priority for the New England Patriots to have a star studded wide receiver group. They have been more about finding bargains and relying on Tom Brady to make things work. The Jordan Matthews signing is something that fits that mold.
Matthews has seen his career take a bit of a nose dive over the past few years. However, he still has talent and should work well in the Patriots system. He has done most of his damage working out of the slot.
New England also isn’t relying on Matthews to play a major role. They are welcoming back Julian Edelman from injury and still have Chris Hogan. Malcolm Mitchell, Phillip Dorsett, Kenny Britt and Cordarrelle Patterson are also in the mix.
This is a solid group that features upside players like Dorsett and veterans like Edelman. It’s also important to factor in Rob Gronkowski who is a major part of the passing attack.
Related Story: 2018 NFL Mock Draft
However, the Patriots may still look to bring in more wide receiver talent via the 2018 NFL Draft. Their current roster doesn’t feature great size at the wide receiver position. They may want to target someone who can work on the outside and in the red zone.
This year’s draft features a handful of candidates including SMU’s Courtland Sutton, Oklahoma State’s Marcell Ateman and Florida State’s Auden Tate.
Ateman would be in the mix in the later rounds. Targeting him would allow the Patriots to address their other needs earlier in the draft. New England is known to be looking to add help at quarterback, along the offensive line and multiple spots on defense.