New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon had two names in mind when thinking of impact offensive playmakers that the team should consider signing in free agency.
The Patriots’ top pass-rusher and unofficial recruiter was at it again when appearing on “Good Morning Football” on Wednesday. He made pitches for Jacksonville Jaguars free agent wide receiver Calvin Ridley and Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs.
“Calvin Ridley, come on over to the red, white and blue. We have a spot for you. Nobody wears zero. It’s all yours. I think you wear like a size nine cleat, we got all the size nine cleats,” said Judon. “…And then, we have a great running back, and we just need another one. So I’m saying, Josh Jacobs, come on out of Nevada. They haven’t treated you well. You won a rushing title, and nobody even talk about it.
“You do that in New England—No. 1 selling jersey, I’m just saying. I think you and Mondre (Rhamondre Stevenson) would be a great one-two punch. It’s a 1A, 1B type thing. I see ya’ll as that. Ya’ll will never get tired. So ya’ll are going to be running crazy, especially if we don’t know who we going to have at quarterback. We definitely need good running backs.”
Hey @CalvinRidley1 and @iAM_JoshJacobs, @man_dammn has a quick pitch for you to come and be @Patriots pic.twitter.com/jpBctONELF
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) March 6, 2024
Wide receiver is one of the biggest needs on the Patriots’ roster. With Mike Evans, Michael Pittman Jr. and Tee Higgins off the table, Ridley has suddenly emerged as the top receiving option in free agency.
It would make sense for the Patriots to be in the thick of things with Ridley’s eventual contract negotiations.
Jacobs, on the other hand, is an interesting option. The market on running backs has greatly depreciated, which means a player with Jacobs’ elite potential might not break the bank.
But is offering Jacobs more money than simply paying to have Ezekiel Elliott return for another season worth it? As Judon noted, the Patriots already have Stevenson on the roster. Kevin Harris also showed strides as a contributor late in the 2023 season.
It might be more cost efficient to keep those two as the main running back options, while using a late-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft on a pass-catching back.
One thing is clear, however: The Patriots are in desperate need of offensive playmakers. Whether it’s Ridley, Jacobs or someone else, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone upset at the team for chasing potential impact players to help turn things around offensively.