Patriots were reportedly interested in Jerry Jeudy before trade, seeking to add veteran receiver
The Patriots are seeking some veteran help at receiver, but they had to cross one possible name off the list Saturday.
It’s not a secret that the Patriots’ wide receiver room needs to improve in 2024, but one of their first attempts to strengthen the position this offseason fell short.
The Patriots were one of “five or six teams” interested in trading for Jerry Jeudy before the Broncos shipped the receiver to the Browns on Saturday, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Cleveland acquired Jeudy by giving up a fifth- and sixth-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
This isn’t the first time that the Patriots have been linked to Jeudy. They were rumored to be involved in trade talks for the 2020 first-round pick last offseason when the Broncos took offers on him, with ESPN’s Jeff Legwold reporting that the Patriots were among the “most interested” teams.
However, the Broncos were reportedly seeking a first- or second-round pick from any team looking to trade for Jeudy in 2023. A possible deal would’ve reunited Jeudy with Mac Jones as the two played together at Alabama. If the Patriots had landed Jeudy this offseason, it’s likely that the reunion wouldn’t have happened because New England is reportedly listening to trade offers on the quarterback.
New England’s reported pursuit of Jeudy could be just the beginning of their search to add to its receivers room this offseason. The Patriots are also “definitely in the market for a veteran wide receiver,” CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reported. Anderson added that the addition could come via trade or free agency.
Jeudy is just one of several notable veteran receivers who could be on the move this offseason, either in free agency or a trade. The free agency class took a bit of a hit in the last week as Mike Evans agreed to a deal to remain with the Buccaneers while Tee Higgins and Michael Pittman Jr. were franchise-tagged by their respective teams.
As a result, Calvin Ridley is widely viewed as the top unrestricted free-agent receiver this offseason. The Jaguars standout put up solid numbers in his first year in Jacksonville, recording 76 receptions for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.
Beyond Ridley, there aren’t many other free-agent receivers with high-end potential. Marquise Brown and Tyler Boyd are the only other free agents under 30 who’ve recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Some other recognizable free-agent receivers are Gabe Davis, K.J. Osborn, Curtis Samuel, and Michael Thomas, who have each mostly served as secondary receiving options in recent years.
The trade market could feature more star receivers. It’s been speculated that the Bengals could still trade Higgins if the two sides struggle to come to terms on an extension. Higgins has been one of the more consistent receivers since he entered the NFL in 2020, recording at least 65 receptions, 900 receiving yards, and six touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. He only had 42 receptions for 656 yards and five touchdowns last year as he missed five games while the Bengals were also without Joe Burrow for much of the second half of the season.
In addition to Higgins, there were some rumors that the Vikings might trade Justin Jefferson if they continued to be apart in extension negotiations. However, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell recently told reporters that te team has “no intent” of trading Jefferson.
Brandon Aiyuk has also been viewed as a possible trade target this offseason as he’s also seeking a long-term deal. There was some suspicion that Aiyuk could be done in San Francisco after a pair of people close to him said he played his final game for the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII. Aiyuk was vague when later asked about his future with the team.
The Steelers are also open to trading Diontae Johnson, The Athletic‘s Dianna Russini reported Saturday. After recording 107 receptions in 2021, the 27-year-old became more of a big play threat in 2023. Even though he only played in 13 games, Johnson had 51 receptions for 717 yards and five touchdowns, posting a career-high 14.1 yards per reception.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com