PLAN C: Jones/Cole combo
This plan involves signing veteran Marvin Jones along with another speed guy, Keelan Cole.
Jones has been a steady, solid, sure-handed contributor with the Lions, and would fit well in the Patriots system. He’s caught 50-plus passes in five of his last seven seasons. He would help on the outside and be an immediate upgrade over the current group.
The downside is his age (31), but that makes him one of the more cost-effective options. He’s likely in the $9 million per season range. While not a long-term fix, the Patriots young receivers would benefit from having a guy like Jones in the room. Last season, the 6-foot-2, 199-pound receiver had 76 catches for 978 yards. He also had nine TD receptions.
As for Cole, the Patriots tend to love players who have performed well against them. Beat a Belichick game plan, and that’s a big seller. That’s part of the reason why Cole should be on the list of possibilities. The Patriots had no answer for him during a Week 2 loss in Jacksonville in 2018.
He caught seven passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. Included in the mix was a mind-blowing one-handed catch.
Playing in one of the worst offenses in the NFL, Cole still posted decent numbers in 2020 with 55 catches, 642 receiving yards and five TD catches. He’s 28, a threat on the outside, and durable, having not missed a game since entering the league. He also has some experience returning punts (nine in 2020) and kicks.
Best of all, he’s a low-cost option comparatively speaking, so he would combine well with Jones.