I expect the Patriots will be looking for pass-catching help in the offseason. They’ll definitely add a starting tight end, and I expect they’ll also be looking for a significant wide receiver.
Julian Edelman caught 100 passes last year, but he’ll be 34 in May and takes a lot of punishment with his playing style. Phillip Dorsett is more of a contributor than a starter-type guy. N’Keal Harry likely will come on, but he had a modest rookie season.
The Patriots erred last year when they traded a second-round pick for Mohamed Sanu. He’s 30, he’s slow, and it was optimistic to expect he was going to help them much. Sanu has extensive experience working inside, but he doesn’t have much quickness – he’s more of a big-body guy.
Sanu had one productive game last year, catching 10 passes for 81 yards and a touchdown at Baltimore, but he otherwise really struggled. He caught only 17 passes for 137 yards in his other eight games with the team, with no touchdowns.
Sanu doesn’t have enough speed to get downfield, but he also wasn’t a reliable short-range option last year. After moving to the Patriots, he caught only 26 of 47 passes in eight regular season games. He caught 33 of 42 passes when playing with Atlanta.
With the Patriots, Sanu averaged only 4.4 yards per target. There were 96 other wide receivers last year who saw at least 40 targets, and all but one of them had higher averages. (Thank you, you can sit down, Trey Quinn.)
At the trade deadline, the 49ers got the better of the Patriots in dealing for Emmanuel Sanders. He averaged 9.5 yards per pass attempt for San Francisco.
In theory, Sanu should have a better command of the offense in 2020. And he’ll have more chance to build a chemistry with the team’s quarterback (whether that’s Tom Brady or someone else). But in a typical fantasy draft in August, I don’t think Sanu is even going to be selected.
| WIDE RECEIVERS: Yards Per Pass Target | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD | Avg |
| Mecole Hardman, K.C. | 41 | 26 | 538 | 6 | 13.1 |
| A.J. Brown, Ten. | 84 | 52 | 1,051 | 8 | 12.5 |
| Stefon Diggs, Min. | 94 | 63 | 1,130 | 6 | 12.0 |
| Mike Williams, LAC | 90 | 49 | 1,001 | 2 | 11.1 |
| Chris Godwin, T.B. | 121 | 86 | 1,333 | 9 | 11.0 |
| Kenny Golladay, Det. | 116 | 65 | 1,190 | 11 | 10.3 |
| Kenny Stills, Hou. | 55 | 40 | 561 | 4 | 10.2 |
| Tyrell Williams, Oak. | 64 | 42 | 651 | 6 | 10.2 |
| Amari Cooper, Dall. | 119 | 79 | 1,189 | 8 | 10.0 |
| Randall Cobb, Dall. | 83 | 55 | 828 | 3 | 10.0 |
| Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 81 | 57 | 802 | 3 | 9.9 |
| Terry McLaurin, Was. | 93 | 58 | 919 | 7 | 9.9 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 118 | 67 | 1,157 | 8 | 9.8 |
| Michael Gallup, Dall. | 113 | 66 | 1,107 | 6 | 9.8 |
| Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 89 | 58 | 860 | 7 | 9.7 |
| Tyler Lockett, Sea. | 110 | 82 | 1,057 | 8 | 9.6 |
| • Emmanuel Sanders, S.F. | 53 | 36 | 502 | 3 | 9.5 |
| Will Fuller, Hou. | 71 | 49 | 670 | 3 | 9.4 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 128 | 72 | 1,202 | 9 | 9.4 |
| Breshad Perriman, T.B. | 69 | 36 | 645 | 6 | 9.3 |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 185 | 149 | 1,725 | 9 | 9.3 |
| Calvin Ridley, Atl. | 93 | 63 | 866 | 7 | 9.3 |
| John Brown, Buff. | 115 | 72 | 1,060 | 6 | 9.2 |
| James Washington, Pitt. | 80 | 44 | 735 | 3 | 9.2 |
| Allen Lazard, G.B. | 52 | 35 | 477 | 3 | 9.2 |
| John Ross, Cin. | 56 | 28 | 506 | 3 | 9.0 |
| DK Metcalf, Sea. | 100 | 58 | 900 | 7 | 9.0 |
| Courtland Sutton, Den. | 124 | 72 | 1,112 | 6 | 9.0 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 157 | 99 | 1,394 | 6 | 8.9 |
| Allen Hurns, Mia. | 47 | 32 | 416 | 2 | 8.9 |
| Darius Slayton, NYG | 84 | 48 | 740 | 8 | 8.8 |
| Jakobi Meyers, N.E. | 41 | 26 | 359 | 0 | 8.8 |
| Corey Davis, Ten. | 69 | 43 | 601 | 2 | 8.7 |
| Adam Thielen, Min. | 48 | 30 | 418 | 6 | 8.7 |
| DJ Moore, Car. | 135 | 87 | 1,175 | 4 | 8.7 |
| Cooper Kupp, LAR | 134 | 94 | 1,161 | 10 | 8.7 |
| Chris Conley, Jac. | 90 | 47 | 775 | 5 | 8.6 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 91 | 62 | 779 | 9 | 8.6 |
| DJ Chark, Jac. | 118 | 73 | 1,008 | 8 | 8.5 |
| Hunter Renfrow, Oak. | 71 | 49 | 605 | 4 | 8.5 |
| Jarvis Landry, Cle. | 138 | 83 | 1,174 | 6 | 8.5 |
| Zach Pascal, Ind. | 72 | 41 | 607 | 5 | 8.4 |
| • Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 44 | 30 | 367 | 2 | 8.3 |
| Kelvin Harmon, Was. | 44 | 30 | 365 | 0 | 8.3 |
| Marquise Brown, Balt. | 71 | 46 | 584 | 7 | 8.2 |
| Demarcus Robinson, K.C. | 55 | 32 | 449 | 4 | 8.2 |
| Robert Woods, LAR | 139 | 90 | 1,134 | 2 | 8.2 |
| Kendrick Bourne, S.F. | 44 | 30 | 358 | 5 | 8.1 |
| Robby Anderson, NYJ | 96 | 52 | 779 | 5 | 8.1 |
| Brandin Cooks, LAR | 72 | 42 | 583 | 2 | 8.1 |
| Marquez Valdes-Scantling, G.B. | 56 | 26 | 452 | 2 | 8.1 |
| Keenan Allen, LAC | 149 | 104 | 1,199 | 6 | 8.0 |
| Adam Humphries, Ten. | 47 | 37 | 374 | 2 | 8.0 |
| Golden Tate, NYG | 85 | 49 | 676 | 6 | 8.0 |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pitt. | 70 | 42 | 552 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 127 | 83 | 997 | 5 | 7.9 |
| Damiere Byrd, Ariz. | 46 | 32 | 359 | 1 | 7.8 |
| Odell Beckham, Cle. | 133 | 74 | 1,035 | 4 | 7.8 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 150 | 104 | 1,165 | 7 | 7.8 |
| Anthony Miller, Chi. | 85 | 52 | 656 | 2 | 7.7 |
| Josh Reynolds, LAR | 43 | 21 | 326 | 1 | 7.6 |
| Ted Ginn, N.O. | 56 | 30 | 421 | 2 | 7.5 |
| Sammy Watkins, K.C. | 90 | 52 | 673 | 3 | 7.5 |
| Demaryius Thomas, NYJ | 58 | 36 | 433 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 42 | 33 | 313 | 1 | 7.5 |
| Allen Robinson, Chi. | 154 | 98 | 1,147 | 7 | 7.4 |
| Diontae Johnson, Pitt. | 92 | 59 | 680 | 5 | 7.4 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 109 | 75 | 804 | 4 | 7.4 |
| Willie Snead, Balt. | 46 | 31 | 339 | 5 | 7.4 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 68 | 45 | 501 | 5 | 7.4 |
| Taylor Gabriel, Chi. | 48 | 29 | 353 | 4 | 7.4 |
| Phillip Dorsett, N.E. | 54 | 29 | 397 | 5 | 7.4 |
| Cole Beasley, Buff. | 106 | 67 | 778 | 6 | 7.3 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 153 | 100 | 1,117 | 6 | 7.3 |
| Auden Tate, Cin. | 80 | 40 | 575 | 1 | 7.2 |
| Cody Latimer, NYG | 42 | 24 | 300 | 2 | 7.1 |
| Preston Williams, Mia. | 60 | 32 | 428 | 3 | 7.1 |
| Tyler Boyd, Cin. | 148 | 90 | 1,046 | 5 | 7.1 |
| Danny Amendola, Det. | 97 | 62 | 678 | 1 | 7.0 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 83 | 57 | 576 | 3 | 6.9 |
| Jamison Crowder, NYJ | 122 | 78 | 833 | 6 | 6.8 |
| Alex Erickson, Cin. | 78 | 43 | 529 | 0 | 6.8 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Phil. | 73 | 43 | 490 | 4 | 6.7 |
| Christian Kirk, Ariz. | 108 | 68 | 709 | 3 | 6.6 |
| Dede Westbrook, Jac. | 101 | 66 | 660 | 3 | 6.5 |
| Olabisi Johnson, Min. | 45 | 31 | 294 | 3 | 6.5 |
| Greg Ward, Phil. | 40 | 28 | 254 | 1 | 6.4 |
| Russell Gage, Atl. | 74 | 49 | 446 | 1 | 6.0 |
| Curtis Samuel, Car. | 105 | 54 | 627 | 6 | 6.0 |
| Paul Richardson, Was. | 42 | 28 | 245 | 2 | 5.8 |
| DaeSean Hamilton, Den. | 52 | 28 | 297 | 1 | 5.7 |
| Albert Wilson, Mia. | 62 | 43 | 351 | 1 | 5.7 |
| Steven Sims, Was. | 56 | 34 | 310 | 4 | 5.5 |
| Nelson Agholor, Phil. | 69 | 39 | 363 | 3 | 5.3 |
| Geronimo Allison, G.B. | 55 | 34 | 287 | 2 | 5.2 |
| Jarius Wright, Car. | 58 | 28 | 296 | 0 | 5.1 |
| KeeSean Johnson, Ariz. | 42 | 21 | 187 | 1 | 4.5 |
| Mohamed Sanu, N.E. | 47 | 26 | 207 | 1 | 4.4 |
| Trey Quinn, Was. | 47 | 26 | 198 | 1 | 4.2 |
—Ian Allan