The Patriots have one of the best receiving corps in the league. The core’s health will be crucial to the success of the team this year. Edelman and Amendola are starting camp on the PUP list but should be ready in time for the start of the season. Both are coming off of surgery. They are both locks to make the roster, let’s take a look at who else rounds out one of the best corps in the league, who makes the fifty-three? Who doesn’t?
Chris Hogan-
Hogan sign a three year $12 million deal in March. He was brought from the Bills to replace the released Brandon LaFell. Hogan is going to be a significant part of the offense this season and is a roster lock, and he will be for the next two years.
Malcolm Mitchell-
He is another roster lock taken in the fourth round out of Georgia. ESPN’s Mike Reiss said he is “showing early aptitude” in the Pats’ offense. He won’t be playing a ton as a rookie but his workload will increase every year. People were saying when he was drafted that he could have been a top ten pick if not for his ACL injury. I like Mitchell, but you won’t see a ton of him this year unless someone in front of him on the depth chart goes down.
Nate Washington-
Nate signed a one-year deal with the Patriots this March, it is a flier. He supplies a need as an outside receiver but isn’t guaranteed to make the team. He was thrown into a gauntlet for the fourth receiver spot with Aaron Dobson, Keshawn Martin, and Devin Lucien. He seems to be the favorite to be the leader in the clubhouse for that spot, local media assumes it will be him. However, Patriots.com said Nate Washington struggled to get “on the same page” with Tom Brady. That is a problem that could cost him his roster spot. The talent is there, I want him on the squad but he needs to get on the same page as Brady and Jimmy
Keshawn Martin-
Here is an interesting one. One would think that he would be a lock for the roster because of his recently signed two year extension but the word is he isn’t. He is very valuable in the return game but they drafted Cyrus Jones who is a weapon returning punts and kicks. Martin had zero catches in the AFC title game and two in the Divisional round. I’m a fan of his but he could be the guy that gets cut because of his lack of production in the passing game.
Devin Lucien-
The seventh round pick out of ASU is said to have elite ball skills and plays bigger than he is. He is fast too. He also has awesome hands which is a must for him to have a shot to make the squad. According to Rich Hill of PatsPulpit.com, Lucien only dropped three of ninety-eight targets. That is pretty impressive. This man has a ton of potential. He is the outside receiver that Patriots need. I am all aboard the Lucien bandwagon to beat out Washington for the fourth receiver spot. I cant wait to see what happens with him.
Aaron Dobson-
This guys has been the biggest disappointment. The second rounder out of Marshall has killed me. He is just painful to watch be a healthy scratch every week, they just need to cut ties with him. If he makes the fifty-three over Lucien I will be heated. Every spring we hear how great he is doing, I for one, am sick of it. Cut him and be done with it
My picks to make the roster-
I think the receivers to make the final fifty-three are Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Devin Lucien, and Nate Washington. I will always be in favor of carrying six receivers I this offense. Plus you can keep Chris Harper on the practice squad in case of an emergency.
Chris Hogan-
Hogan sign a three year $12 million deal in March. He was brought from the Bills to replace the released Brandon LaFell. Hogan is going to be a significant part of the offense this season and is a roster lock, and he will be for the next two years.
Malcolm Mitchell-
He is another roster lock taken in the fourth round out of Georgia. ESPN’s Mike Reiss said he is “showing early aptitude” in the Pats’ offense. He won’t be playing a ton as a rookie but his workload will increase every year. People were saying when he was drafted that he could have been a top ten pick if not for his ACL injury. I like Mitchell, but you won’t see a ton of him this year unless someone in front of him on the depth chart goes down.
Nate Washington-
Nate signed a one-year deal with the Patriots this March, it is a flier. He supplies a need as an outside receiver but isn’t guaranteed to make the team. He was thrown into a gauntlet for the fourth receiver spot with Aaron Dobson, Keshawn Martin, and Devin Lucien. He seems to be the favorite to be the leader in the clubhouse for that spot, local media assumes it will be him. However, Patriots.com said Nate Washington struggled to get “on the same page” with Tom Brady. That is a problem that could cost him his roster spot. The talent is there, I want him on the squad but he needs to get on the same page as Brady and Jimmy
Keshawn Martin-
Here is an interesting one. One would think that he would be a lock for the roster because of his recently signed two year extension but the word is he isn’t. He is very valuable in the return game but they drafted Cyrus Jones who is a weapon returning punts and kicks. Martin had zero catches in the AFC title game and two in the Divisional round. I’m a fan of his but he could be the guy that gets cut because of his lack of production in the passing game.
Devin Lucien-
The seventh round pick out of ASU is said to have elite ball skills and plays bigger than he is. He is fast too. He also has awesome hands which is a must for him to have a shot to make the squad. According to Rich Hill of PatsPulpit.com, Lucien only dropped three of ninety-eight targets. That is pretty impressive. This man has a ton of potential. He is the outside receiver that Patriots need. I am all aboard the Lucien bandwagon to beat out Washington for the fourth receiver spot. I cant wait to see what happens with him.
Aaron Dobson-
This guys has been the biggest disappointment. The second rounder out of Marshall has killed me. He is just painful to watch be a healthy scratch every week, they just need to cut ties with him. If he makes the fifty-three over Lucien I will be heated. Every spring we hear how great he is doing, I for one, am sick of it. Cut him and be done with it
My picks to make the roster-
I think the receivers to make the final fifty-three are Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Chris Hogan, Malcolm Mitchell, Devin Lucien, and Nate Washington. I will always be in favor of carrying six receivers I this offense. Plus you can keep Chris Harper on the practice squad in case of an emergency.