Training Camp Positional Battle Preview: Wide Receiver

The New England Patriots were the only team in the NFL to not have two receivers break the 30-catch threshold in 2019.

The unit remains mostly intact heading into 2020 training camp, however, with only Phillip Dorsett departing in the offseason to join the Seattle Seahawks. Perennial 1,000-yard receiver Julian Edelman leads the returning wideouts, while 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry, former undrafted free agent Jakobi Meyers and eight-year veteran Mohamed Sanu round out the rest.

The Patriots had a very volatile receivers room in 2019, with Sanu coming in midseason and Antonio Brown, Josh Gordon and Demariyus Thomas all leaving well before New England hit its Week 10 bye.

The targets Brown, Gordon and Dorsett racked up – a total of 98 between the trio – will be up for grabs in 2020, and the coronavirus-shortened training camp will be an opportunity for faces new and old to fight for their fair share.

Newly-signed veterans Marqise Lee and Damiere Byrd will have a chance to compete with Harry, Meyers and Sanu for those snaps, should they make the roster. Gunner Olszewski is another second-year receiver who earned a roster spot as a special teamer last year, and he’ll be fighting to hold onto his role with Quincy Adeboyejo and Devin Ross trying to make the leap from last year’s practice squad. Will Hastings, Sean Riley, Isaiah Zuber and Jeff Thomas, on the other hand, are attempting to make the team as undrafted free agents.

Not all 13 receivers will be able to don a Patriots jersey in 2020, and the team’s coaching staff will have an even shorter timetable than usual to decide who makes the cut this fall.

Impact of the Injury Bug

Between Sanu, Harry and Edelman, New England’s receivers were ravaged by injuries in 2019.

Meyers was the only Patriots receiver who didn’t have their season interrupted by injuries in 2019, which allowed him to get meaningful snaps and carve out a spot for himself in the offense.

PatriotMaven’s Kyle Garvin broke down Meyers’ game film and argued the second-year wideout could take an even bigger leap in 2020, improving upon his 26 receptions and 359 yards from a year ago. In a season so heavily impacted by coronavirus and shortened training camp, being healthy is more important than ever, so Meyers’ job should be very secure heading into this upcoming season.

Harry wasn’t as lucky his rookie year, as he was limited to just seven games, and Sanu’s ankle injury led to one of his least productive seasons since he joined the league in 2012. Edelman managed to play in all 16 games, but was banged up for the better part of the second half of the season.

Whether it’s due to positive COVID-19 tests or increased fatigue due to a prolonged offseason, players are likely to fall victim to even more injuries this season. Three of the Patriots’ top four receivers have a notable injury history, meaning Bill Belichick will probably have to carry more wideouts than usual.

Status of New Faces

The Patriots committed $2.4 million against the cap to Byrd and Lee this offseason, but the two are in dramatically different situations.

The 5-foot-9 Byrd -- who racked up career highs with 359 yards and 32 receptions for the Arizona Cardinals in 2019 -- is a prototypical slot receiver who can fill in for Edelman should the 34-year-old veteran get hurt. Considering Edelman’s extensive injury history and Josh McDaniels’ reliance on slot receivers in the past, Byrd seems to be in good shape heading into training camp.

Lee has more NFL production to his name, posting 1,553 yards on 119 receptions from 2016 to 2017 with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he faces a tougher road to a roster spot.

The former USC Trojan is more dynamic and malleable than Byrd, coming in at 6-feet and 196 pounds with experience all over the field, but he has also only appeared in six games over the last two seasons. His adaptability is respectable, but since Meyers and Sanu are both superior Z-receivers and Harry has the edge as an X-receiver, he may get crowded out by players with more experience in the Patriots’ system.

The Verdict

Edelman, Harry, Meyers and Sanu are all safely on the roster, meaning Lee and Byrd have to hope Belichick trims down on special teamers such as Olszewski and Zuber if they want to make the team. Byrd’s ability to carve out a consistent reserve role should secure him a spot on the final roster, while Lee’s direct competition may leave him on the cutting room floor.

Only time will tell if Cam Newton or Jarrett Stidham can produce at the level Brady did in 2019, but whoever ends up winning the starting quarterback job will likely be passing to very similar targets than the ones the future Hall of Famer did in his final year in New England.