Patriots’ WR room inherits ugly predictions in latest PFF rankings

Despite several improvements over the past NFL offseason, it appears many are still skeptical about how the New England Patriots will perform at the wide receiver position in 2024.

Focus on professional football recently abandoned its base WR rankings to stack every unit in the league, and it’s fair to say the Patriots haven’t had the most pleasant outlook for the upcoming season.

Compared to the NFL’s pass-catching talent, the Patriots have fallen to the bottom, ranking as the 32nd best receiver.

“The Patriots fielded the 28th-ranked receiving corps by PFF grade last year. Their highest-rated pass catcher left tight end Pharaoh Brown. The team’s second and third highest-rated receivers in 2023 were Demario Douglas and Hunter Henry Rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker should get plenty of looks early on At running back, New England signed Antonio Gibson, who is a good pass catcher. Ultimately, this is a low-cap group for 2024. The long-term outlook is good.”

– Trevor Sikkema, PFF

Things got tough for the Patriots WR core last season. For the first time in over 30 years, New England failed to have a wide receiver on the roster collect more than 600 receiving yards.

A combination of inconsistent quarterback play and numerous weapons dealing with lengthy injuries were major factors in this group’s final demise in 2023. Still, this upcoming campaign presents far more reason for optimism.

The selections of Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in last April’s draft present two young, high-ceiling options for third overall pick Drake Maye to grow alongside – whenever the time is right for him to start in the center. It may take 2-3 years for these new weapons to fully develop, but there is a world where either can have an instant impact from day one.

Kendrick Bourne and JuJu Smith-Schuster are also expected to return to the lineup after going through an injury-plagued 2023.

Smith-Schuster recently reported during OTAs that he is now “100% healthy” and prepared for the upcoming season after suffering from ongoing knee issues, while Bourne is ready to enter training camp after a torn ACL derailed his final campaign.

Both guys have proven in previous years to be useful weapons when targets present themselves, so getting them back on the field is a huge step in the right direction for New England’s offense.

And when you factor in a full offseason of development from last year’s leading receiver, Demario Douglas, preparing him for a possible breakthrough in his sophomore season, the stage is set for this core New England WR in surprise some in 2024.

If the quarterback play can remain slightly more consistent than it was a year ago, New England will have plenty of useful options passing the ball, hopefully creating a much more efficient offense and competent.

The Patriots may not have an elite-level offensive line like we’ve seen on teams like the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins in recent years. Still, New England has ample opportunity to have better than the worst WR core in the league for 2024.

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