There’s no quicker way to get New England Patriots fans riled up than mentioning the possibility of the team trading for or signing an elite receiver.
So you can imagine the excitement when “Felger & Mazz” executive producer James Stewart noted a text message on Wednesday from an NFL talent evaluator, saying the Patriots were “sniffing around” San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel.
Now, sniffing around could mean multiple things.
Firstly, it means the team has a pulse and likely enjoys things that smell and taste good. What could possibly be more delectable than Mac Jones throwing the football to a true game-breaker like Samuel?
But then again, who doesn’t enjoy fine dining? So it would make sense that the Patriots, like every other team in the league, do their due diligence by putting some feelers out there on Samuel.
There’s also the long-shot possibility that the Patriots really are interested, assuming they actually checked in on Samuel’s availability. The Nelson Agholor experiment was a complete failure, and the team’s top receiver, Jakobi Meyers, is a pending free agent. Throw in the fact that the Patriots have plenty of cap space to play with and things could get interesting.
Here are three scenarios that would need to happen for Samuel to end up in New England.
1
49ers would need to have a complete change of heart
Talk about buyer’s remorse.
The 49ers just signed Samuel to a three-year, $71 million extension with $58.1 million guaranteed before the 2022 season. So for them to move on from him now would be a drastic shift.
There’s also the fact that Samuel is probably a player you’d want on your roster if you’re even considering going out and making a move for an elite veteran quarterback like Aaron Rodgers. That isn’t a player you send packing if you’re trying to win a Super Bowl.
But the 49ers have a deep roster. Christian McCaffrey is a running back and receiver mixed into one body, and wideout Brandon Aiyuk shot to the moon in a breakout season in 2022 with 78 catches for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns. Tight end George Kittle is still there, and Jauan Jennings continues to improve.
Coupling all of that with a few premium draft selections acquired in a trade might lessen the sting of losing a player like Samuel.
2
Belichick would need to undergo a major philosophy shift
Patriots owner Robert Kraft may or may not have nudged Bill Belichick into shaking up the offensive coaching staff, but it might take an all-out shove to convince him to trade for Samuel.
The 49ers aren’t in a position of desperation to send one of their best players packing for nothing. They’d want a haul of draft compensation in return—and rightfully so.
But where would that leave the Patriots, especially with them needing serious help along the offensive front?
Running it back with the exact same group would lead to more penalties and Mac Jones sack lunches. By the end of the season, Bill O’Brien might start reconsidering his decision to come back to New England.
Fixing the offensive line is more important than getting an elite receiver. So the Patriots would somehow have to feel confident in their ability to find help elsewhere, particularly at offensive tackle, through a trade, free agency or later in the draft.
Belichick typically doesn’t place significant contractual value on the receiver position, but he’d pretty much be pushing all of the chips on the table to land Samuel.
3
Patriots must be willing to wear their desperation on their sleeves
The typically cool, robotic approach to the business side of football would instantly go out the window for the Patriots to make a move for Samuel.
They’d be green lighting a blockbuster trade for a young, elite receiver when there are still questions surrounding their quarterback. The hope is that Mac Jones is the long-term option for the team, but they can’t be sure after he basically fell off a cliff last season with 2,997 passing yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
Yes, the offense was a complete mess, and most of it wasn’t Jones’ fault. Anyone with at least one eye and a brain could see that. But that still doesn’t change the fact that Jones has a lot to prove under center.
With that said, the Patriots are a franchise used to winning, and they’ve missed the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. Samuel is the sort of player that would instantly make the offense significantly better and give the team a fighting chance for years to come in a rapidly improving AFC East division.
