Subpar group led by Douglas, Bourne
For the Patriots, the receiver position was an inconsistent group for much of 2023.
The work of rookie DeMario Douglas and veteran Kendrick Bourne (when healthy) were positives, but as a whole, the position was mostly underwhelming.
Newcomer JuJu SmithSchuster never seemed to really click, while DeVante Parker clearly preferred Bailey Zappe to Mac Jones.
Meanwhile, youngsters Tyquan Thornton and Kayshon Boutte spent most of the season stuck in neutral, unable to become consistent contributors.
There is something to build on there in the form of Douglas and a (potentially healthy) Bourne.
Douglas, who had 49 catches for 561 yards as a rookie, was the No. 1 option in the passing game at the end of 2023, but in truth, the 5-foot8-inch speedster is more of a complementary pass catcher who can augment the work of bigger, faster receivers.
On social media, Bourne has sounded amenable to the idea of a return, and if he’s recovered from last year’s knee injury, he’d be a good fit with Douglas. But those two remain a starting point for a position that could use a serious boost heading into 2024. Currently on the roster:
Boutte, Douglas, Parker, Thornton, Jalen Reagor; Bourne (injured), SmithSchuster (injured).
Notable free agents (pending franchise tag assignments): Lacking in serious star power, this is a group that could still yield big numbers, given the right situation, as Tee Higgins (who played in just 12 games because of health issues), Michael Pittman Jr., and Mike Evans are intriguing possibilities.
Gabe Davis could be an underrated addition for a few reasons, not the least of which is the fact New England could poach a pass catcher from a divisional rival in Buffalo.
Tier 1 — Higgins (42 catches, 656 yards, 5 TDs), Pittman (109 catches, 1,152 yards, 4 TDs) Evans (79 catches, 1,255 yards, 13 TDs).
Tier 2 — Davis (45 catches, 746 yards, 7 TDs), Marquise Brown (51 catches, 574 yards, 4 TDs), Calvin Ridley (76 catches, 1,106 yards, 8 TDs), Darnell Mooney (31 catches, 414 yards, 1 TD).
Tier 3 — Odell Beckham Jr. (35 catches, 565 yards, 3 TDs), Tyler Boyd (67 catches, 667 yards, 2 TDs), Curtis Samuel (62 catches, 613 yards, 4 TDs).
Draft possibilities: If the Patriots don’t want to go for a quarterback with the third overall pick, Marvin Harrison Jr. (67 catches, 1,211 yards, 14 TDs last season) is clearly their best bet.
The son of the former Colts great, he’s considered by most to be the best offensive skill position player in this year’s draft.
If New England believes its quarterback of the future isn’t at No. 3, Harrison would be a tremendous addition to a Patriots offense that could use a jolt.
Day 1 — Harrison (Ohio State), Malik Nabers (LSU), Rome Odunze (Washington).
Day 2 — Brian Thomas Jr. (LSU), Troy Franklin (Oregon), Ladd McConkey (Georgia), Keon Coleman (Florida State), Xavier Worthy (Texas), Adonal Mitchell (Texas), Xavier Legette (South Carolina).
Day 3 — Devontez Walker (North Carolina), Ja’Lynn Polk (Washington), Malachi Corley (Western Kentucky).