Patriots Taking Trade Calls on WRs Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne: Who's OUT?
FOXBORO — With the NFL trade deadline fast approaching, several positional groupings on the New England Patriots roster are becoming the subject of much scrutiny and speculation.
Amidst multiple reports that the Patriots have been fielding calls on numerous players, names such as right tackle Isaiah Wynn, running back Damien Harris and safety Jabril Peppers have been mentioned among the latest rumors surrounding the team.
To date, a suitable trade scenario has yet to materialize.
If the Patriots choose to make a move prior to the Nov. 1 deadline, it may end up coming from what had been considered a position of need only weeks ago.
Earlier this week, it was reported that New England had recently received inquiries on “all” of their veteran wide receivers, including Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne.
While Meyers and Parker are unlikely to be traded, based on their prominent respective roles in New England’s offense, both Agholor and Bourne remain intriguing options.
Despite having been one of the team’s most dynamic pass catchers in 2021, Bourne has been used sparingly during his six games this season. The 27-year-old has caught just 11 passes for 156 yards and zero touchdowns, having taken only 108 offensive snaps.
Still, retaining Bourne’s services would make more sense than moving him. For starters, he is currently playing on the second of a three-year, team-friendly contract; in which he only accounts for three percent against the Patriots salary cap. Perhaps more importantly, his ability to align on the outside, in the slot and even carry the ball out of the defensive backfield has made him a favorite target of quarterback Mac Jones.
As a result, the odd man out seems to be Agholor, right?
Well, that’s not entirely accurate.
Agholor has shown vast improvement during his second year with the Patriots. He is among the team leaders in catches, ranking fourth with 14, and receiving yards, ranking third with 225. However, ball security continues to be an issue for the USC product. Agholor has fumbled twice this season, while also letting a presumed catch slip through his fingers, resulting in an interception. fumbled twice and also let a ball go through his hands for an interception. Following his absence from New England's Week 6 win over the Cleveland Browns due to a hamstring injury, Agholor has not recorded a catch since Week 4.
At his best, Agholor uses his speed and ability to get open over the top on vertical routes, regularly finding separation from his opponents. Like Bourne, he has also made quite the connection with quarterback Mac Jones.
However, there is a strong financial argument in favor of trading Agholor. Though New England would create roughly $2.8 million in cap space by trading Bourne, they stand to gain $6.5 million by moving on from Agholor. According to Patriots salary cap expert Miguel Benzan, New England would account for the following dead money should they trade the 29-year-old at the deadline: $5 million signing bonus proration, $4M salary and $411,765 in seven active roster bonuses … assuming Agholor is active for Sunday’s matchup with the Jets.
In the final analysis, New England currently seems inclined to keep their current group of wide receivers intact. Despite the emergence of second-round rookie Tyquan Thornton, the Pats veterans each possess unique skill sets, which will only help to cultivate the futures of Jones, and rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe.
Though a loss on Sunday to the New York Jets may alter their priorities, the Patriots would be smart to keep their corps of wide receivers intact, whether or not they are legitimate playoff contenders.
Unless, of course, they are presented with an offer they can’t refuse.
Follow Mike D’Abate on Twitter @mdabateNFL and Listen/Subscribe to his daily podcast: Locked On Patriots
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