The rumors were set to start eventually. After watching the New England Patriots offense through four games, it is clear something is missing. Is it Logan Mankins on the offensive line? Is it sharpness from Tom Brady? Is it an elite wide receiver sprinting downfield? It really could be all three of those things considering the team has yet to put together a quality game despite playing teams like the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins. So what does New England do to help improve the situation?
The first thing that comes to mind is acquiring another wide receiver. Bleacher Report and the Boston Globe both bring back the idea that the Patriots could make a move to acquire Larry Fitzgerald before the season is over. The rumor first surfaced from Tom Curran of CSNNE.com, but now makes more sense than ever. Fitzgerald's contract with the Arizona Cardinals is expiring and while he has been the franchise star, the two sides have not negotiated an extension. There has been speculation for a solid year that Fitzgerald is ready to go to a Super Bowl contending team. That could be the Patriots.
Trading for a marquee player in the middle of the season is extremely unlike head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots normally remain very quiet come the mid-season trading period. However, the Patriots have made several surprising moves this offseason. The first came when they signed Darrelle Revis off the free agent market. The second was trading All-Pro offensive lineman Mankins for a backup tight end right before the season started. Nothing can be ruled out at this point.
According to Brady, the Patriots lack the talent on offense to be a high-scoring unit. Danny Amendola has been fighting injuries since he arrived in New England. Aaron Dobson was benched for immaturity. Kenbrell Thompkins is inconsistent. Brandon LaFell is having a slow start. Right now, it feels like Brady just has Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski to work with. Their run game is even worse.
Getting Fitzgerald would not be cheap. The Patriots have draft picks stashed and could even hand off one of their struggling receivers in return. If the Cardinals are not in contention and they feel Fitzgerald was planning on leaving anyways, they might be more willing to make a deal. Other options for the Patriots could include getting Andre Johnson which might be the most impossible move of all. According to the Tennessean, Justin Hunter is being shopped by the Titans. Other than that, the Patriots better hope someone steps up to help out.