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The New England Patriots have shown interest in trading for Brandin Cooks, but he isn"t the only wide receiver the team may have their eyes on this offseason.
On the surface, the New England Patriots should be elated with the wide receivers they have on the roster. Julian Edelman is one of the best in the business and is coming off of a season in which he caught 98 passes. Meanwhile, Chris Hogan emerged as one of the NFL's top deep threats with 17.9 yards per reception, and rookie fourth-round pick Malcolm Mitchell flashed his potential. Danny Amendola should return on a cheap contract as depth, rounding out a four-deep group of receivers.
It wouldn't be a surprise at all for the Patriots to go after another draft prospect after the first two rounds, but apparently they have their eyes set on some bigger prizes. Not only is their interest in Brandin Cooks an ongoing thing (per Doug Moore of Inside The Pylon), but ESPN.com's Mike Reiss recently predicted that Buffalo Bills wide receiver Robert Woods will be the Patriots top target in free agency this offseason.
With a plethora of cap space and more holes on defense than offense, it's a bit of a surprise to see Woods named as a top target for the Pats. Moreover, Woods isn't exactly known as a star player, and most of the top targets named in ESPN's NFL Nation piece are players like Pierre Garcon, A.J. Bouye, and Kevin Zeitler.
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That said, Woods has the potential to become a much better player on a different team. And if the Patriots are high on the former USC star, they won't be the only teams to have shown interest. Back in 2015, ESPN's Sal Paolantonio said on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia that the Eagles asked for either Kiko Alonso or Woods in the LeSean McCoy trade. The Bills gave Alonso, who was the Defensive Rookie of the Year two just two seasons prior to the trade, to Chip Kelly instead.
Kelly, as you may have heard, is close with Bill Belichick. More importantly, Belichick and the Patriots have had a chance to evaluate Woods and his role in the Bills offense, meaning that they might see something they can take better advantage of. Reiss is usually on-point with these types of predictions, and he makes sure to mention that Hogan, who was signed by the Patriots from Buffalo in restricted free agency last offseason, blossomed in 2016 in the Patriots offense.
The Patriots may not need a wide receiver badly, but Woods would be a much cheaper alternative to someone like Cooks, who would command a high draft pick and a big contract following the trade. Woods would join the Patriots without draft compensation necessary, and it's doubtful he would ask for a big payday.
Oct 16, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Robert Woods (10) runs the ball after a catch during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers at New Era Field. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
Woods was the best pass-catcher on the Bills last season with 51 receptions for 613 yards, catching a career-high 67.1 percent of the passes thrown at him. For the first time in his four-year career, Woods looked like the polished route-runner and capable possession receiver he was advertised as during his time at USC.
Due to his safe hands and ability to work the intermediate regions of the field, the 6-1, 201-pound wideout could be a good fit in New England as a starting receiver on the outside. While someone like Cooks is a superior player and would bring an explosive element to the offense that would make the Patriots look dangerous, Woods profiles as the type of outside receiver who can flourish in New England. Additionally, he operates differently from the other receivers on the roster, because the likes of Edelman and Amendola work better over the middle of the field.
The Patriots know just how important it is to have depth at wide receiver in a high-volume offense, because they've been decimated by injuries at the position before. In 2015, the Patriots Super Bowl hopes were hurt significantly by a myriad of wide receiver injuries, and it's hard for them to expect players like Edelman and Amendola to remain healthy. Edelman was the only wideout on the Patriots to play all 16 games last season, which was just the second time he's done so in his eight-year career.
Woods is a quietly ascending player who could become a value signing in free agency. After all, he's bound to get lost in the shuffle behind bigger names in Alshon Jeffery, Brandon Marshall, DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, Kenny Stills, Terrelle Pryor, and Kenny Britt.
It will be interesting to see who other beat writers think the Patriots will target in free agency, but Woods checks off all the boxes. He's a fit for what the Pats do on offense, he won't be expensive, the team can get more out of him than a division rival did, and he showed that he can be a quality starter in this league after a strong 2016 campaign.
