The New England Patriots look like they’re playing in quicksand.
They haven’t been able to run the ball effectively behind a patchwork offensive line, and the passing attack still lacks explosiveness on the outside. Make no mistake, the offense is significantly better with Bill O’Brien calling the plays, but it was never a situation where one man was going to solve all of the team’s problems.
There’s little doubt that the running game will pick up at some point. Rhamondre Stevenson is an incredibly talented running back, and Ezekiel Elliott is a former two-time NFL rushing yards leader. It’s only a matter of time before that thunder and lightning combo creates a thunderstorm in the offensive backfield.
But the same can’t be said for the Patriots at receiver. When looking around the room, there’s simply not enough talent to keep pace in the AFC East, much less the rest of the league.
Of course, that could all change at the snap of a finger if the Patriots pull off a trade for the right player. Coach Bill Belichick typically isn’t known for pushing all of the chips on the table for a receiver, but desperate times could call for desperate measures down the stretch.
Here are five game-changing receivers the Patriots could trade for this season: