The New England Patriots are attempting to stockpile wide receivers, making several moves to sign players leading up to the NFL draft. The Patriots do not have a No.1 guy on the roster. After losing their top producers Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Brandon Lloyd, they signed Danny Amendola, Michael Jenkins and Donald Jones to fill the depleted roster. However, none of those guys will put up the numbers of those that have left. So instead of getting a top threat, the Patriots are just overloading the roster. They have officially re-signed Julian Edelman and are attempting to steal Emmanuel Sanders from the Pittsburgh Steelers, something to team may not allow.
Edelman was an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He paid visits to the New York Giants and several other teams before ultimately signing a one-year deal to remain with the Patriots. The 26-year old has not been a top threat, but has shown flashes of greatness in his first four seasons in New England. He has suffered multiple injuries that have prevented his development. In his career, he has recorded 714 receiving yards on 69 catches. Last season, he put up 235 yards on 21 passes.
Edelman was mainly used in the slot position last season. Head coach Bill Belichick favors the slot receiver position. If Edelman can stay healthy, Belichick will coach him into being one of team's best offensive weapons.
While Edelman is locked into a new contract, Sanders most wait five days before he can officially be a Patriot. The restricted free agent signed the offer sheet and the Pittsburgh Steelers have five days to match the offer. They originally had Sanders pegged to be the replacement to Mike Wallace who left for the Miami Dolphins.
The Steelers are expected to match the Patriots offer and retain Sanders. Last season, he had 626 receiving yards on 44 passes with one touchdown. Sanders will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. The Steelers could decide to let him go and accept the Patriots third-round draft pick offer, but they have lost key offensive playmakers and need to hold on to Sanders.
If the Patriots are unable to hold on to Sanders, they can still grab another receiver in the draft. They have been heavily interested in former Tennessee receiver Justin Hunter and are likely to grab him with their first round pick at No. 29. None of these receivers can compare to someone like Wes Welker, but with Tom Brady throwing to them, they all have the ability to put up big numbers.
