In case you haven't noticed, the New England Patriots are seriously interested in acquiring a wide receiver this offseason -- and not just through the draft.
The Patriots had interested in trading for wide receiver Sterling Shepard before the New York Giants gave him a new contract extension this week, Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News reported Thursday, citing a source.
Shepard, who drew comparisons to Julian Edelman ahead of the 2016 NFL Draft, would have been a nice fit in New England. The 25-year-old wideout tallied 66 receptions for a career-high 872 yards last season as New York's No. 2 option behind Odell Beckham Jr. and is a productive slot target with impressive agility and strong hands.
With Beckham off to the Cleveland Browns, though, the Giants (who play the Patriots this season) opted to lock up their de facto top receiver, agreeing to a reported four-year, $41 million contract extension with Shepard on Wednesday.
That means the wideout search continues for the Patriots, who have hosted several top wide receiver prospects ahead of the 2019 NFL Draft. New England lost Cordarelle Patterson to free agency and Josh Gordon to an indefinite suspension and also could be without Chris Hogan, a free agent who reportedly has drawn interest from the Giants.
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