It's no secret the New England Patriots need to upgrade at wide receiver to maximize their offensive production during the 2022 NFL season.
The Patriots found their long-term starting quarterback in Mac Jones through the draft in 2021, and now it's time for Bill Belichick and the front office to surround the young QB with enough talent at the skill positions.
The free agent market has several intriguing options at wide receiver, and Allen Robinson arguably is at the top of the list.
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Should the Patriots make a genuine push to sign him when free agency opens next week? Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer thinks it would be a smart move for New England.
"I would love to see him here. I don't know if it's realistic. There's some carryover -- he's played in the offense before because he played for Bill O'Brien at Penn State," Breer said on NBC Sports Boston's "Early Edition" show Thursday night.
"I think he's the sort of guy where the defense has to account for him every time he's on the field. So he's going to make guys down the line, like Kendrick Bourne, better, because now instead of being a No. 2 you're a No. 3 and so on. I think the Patriots have a lot of good complimentary pieces. If you throw a No. 1 (wide receiver) in there, it changes the equation for each one of those guys."
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It's important for the Patriots to load up as much they can while Jones is on his rookie deal and not taking up much salary cap space.
"I think you have to get the most out of your rookie quarterback. When you've got him on a rookie contract, that's when you strike. I look across the AFC and see what the Bengals have around Joe Burrow, what the Chargers have around Justin Herbert, what the Chiefs have around Patrick Mahomes. I think you need firepower. I think Allen Robinson changes the context of the rest of your offense.
Robinson tallied 38 receptions for 410 yards and one touchdown in 12 games for the Chicago Bears last season. It was a steep decline in production from the previous two years.
- 2019: 98 receptions, 1,147 yards, 7 TD in 16 GP
- 2020: 102 receptions, 1,150 yards, 6 TD in 16 GP
In Robinson's defense, the Bears offense struggled mightily in 2021 and the quarterback play from veteran Andy Dalton and rookie Justin Fields was not impressive. Chicago ranked 29th in passing touchdowns and 30th in passing yards last season.
Robinson is the type of No. 1 wideout the Patriots have lacked in recent seasons. If the Patriots can sign him in free agency, it would be a huge boost to the offense and give Jones another reliable target in the passing attack.