Unlike the San Francisco 49ers’ wide receivers, their counterparts playing for the New England Patriots aren’t competitive enough to stand up against the best in the NFL. As it stands, this particular group is rated as the worst in the entire league ahead of the upcoming season.
The 2023 season marked the Patriots’ 54th in the NFL, their 22nd at Gillette Stadium, and the last under legendary head coach Bill Belichick‘s guidance. It proved a tumultuous year for the storied franchise.
The Patriots stumbled to a dismal 1-5 start, their worst opening since 1995. This set the tone for a season in which they failed to improve on the previous year’s 8-9 record, missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year and the third time in four seasons. Their 4-13 final record was Belichick’s worst as an NFL head coach and the team’s poorest showing since 1992.
Offensively, the Patriots were historically inept, finishing last in scoring and failing to reach 20 points in 12 games – a first since 1991. They were also shutout twice, an unthinkable outcome for a Belichick-led team.
The retirement of long-time safety Devin McCourty further compounded the team’s challenges. Ultimately, Belichick and the organization agreed to part ways following the season, closing the book on a remarkable but turbulent 24-year tenure.
New England Patriots’ Wide Receivers Named as Worst in NFL Ahead of 2024 Campaign
One of the primary reasons for New England’s horrendous campaign last season was its group of wide receivers. Trevor Sikkema went into detail about why they’re ranked last in an article for PFF.
“The Patriots fielded the 28th-ranked receiving corps by PFF grade last year. Their highest-graded pass-catcher was departed tight end Pharaoh Brown.
The team’s second- and third-highest-graded receivers in 2023 were Demario Douglas and Hunter Henry. Rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker should get a good amount of looks early on. At running back, New England brought in Antonio Gibson, who is a good pass-catcher.
Ultimately, this is a low-ceiling group for 2024. But the long-term outlook is decent,” Sikkema wrote.
The Patriots will enter the 2024 season without Belichick as their head coach. Instead, the team will have Jerod Mayo, a former linebacker who played for the team from 2008 to 2015.
It remains to be seen whether the Patriots’ wide receiving group can change this narrative or continue trending towards the wrong direction. In any case, fans will be keeping a close eye on them in the coming season.
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