Tag: Nelson Agholor

The Draft Network names three WRs Ravens should try to trade for

The Draft Network named three wide receivers that the Ravens should try to trade for

The Baltimore Ravens have faced questions about their wide receiver group ever since the 2022 draft, where they traded former No. 1 wideout Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. Baltimore opted not to draft a replacement for the fourth-year player, and so far haven’t signed a veteran at the position either, signaling confidence in their young players.

When listing out three wide receivers that the Ravens should try to trade for, Justin Melo of The Draft Network highlighted a multitude of different skillsets in his options. He named Nelson Agholor of the New England Patriots, Darius Slayton of the New York Giants and Marquez Callaway of the New Orleans Saints. When discussing Agholor, Melo talked about how New England has an “abundance” of wideouts.

“The Patriots possess an abundance of receivers, especially for an offense that will likely run 12-personnel with frequency. Agholor is entering a contract season. The former Philadelphia Eagle is set to carry a cap hit of approximately $14.882 million and the cash-strapped Patriots would save nearly $10 million by trading him, via Spotrac. If the Patriots were satisfied with Agholor’s performance last season, they wouldn’t have spent premium capital to acquire two receivers in the offseason. Agholor to the Ravens makes sense.”

Melo then mentioned that Slayton could be a replacement for Brown in the Baltimore offense.

“Once touted as an intriguing deep-speed threat, Slayton could potentially help the Ravens replace the field-stretching ability their offense lost when they traded Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. The Giants have a surplus at receiver and the Ravens could utilize Slayton’s skill set.”

For Callaway, Melo talks about how the receiver deserves more snaps and targets than he’s currently slated to get in New Orleans, and the Ravens could provide him with that.

“Callaway’s path to snaps in New Orleans’ new-look offense appears dicey. The coaching staff remains high on Tre’Quan Smith, who’s an excellent blocker in the running game. New Orleans’ offseason activity has bumped Callaway into a positional battle to make the Saints’ final 53-man roster. Callaway is a quality NFL receiver that deserves more snaps and targets than he’ll find in New Orleans. The Ravens could provide Callaway with that opportunity.”

It’s unclear if Baltimore is considering adding a veteran option at wide receiver, either through free agency or via trade. However, if they decide to go either of those routes there are no shortage of options. It would depend on how much the team trusts their young players such as Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay and James Proche II, as well as how much capital they’d be willing to invest both asset and money wise.

Potential landing spots and trade packages for Patriots WR Nelson Agholor

A deep dive into possible landing spots and trade packages involving Patriots receiver Nelson Agholor.

Nelson Agholor signed with the New England Patriots in 2021 as part of an out-of-character Patriots offseason, where coach Bill Belichick not only spent a pretty penny in free agency, but he drafted quarterback Mac Jones with the No. 15 overall pick.

It was the highest Belichick had ever selected a quarterback.

Nelson Agholor and the Patriots agreed to a two-year, $22 million ($16 million guaranteed at signing) deal that at the time was considered an overpay. The veteran receiver struggled in year one to produce in a new system, with 37 receptions for 473 yards and three touchdowns. However, outside of 2020 with the Las Vegas Raiders, it was his best season in terms of yards per catch.

Flash forward to 2022, with Agholor entering his second and final year carrying a $14.8 million cap hit, DeVante Parker brought in via trade with the Miami Dolphins, and the Patriots selecting Tyquan Thornton at No. 50 overall at the 2022 NFL draft, there is growing concern that he could be the odd man out in New England.

This training camp has seen the immediate emergence of Parker, Thornton, and Tre Nixon, who have all shown they deserve a roster spot. And with Ty Montgomery serving as the dual threat role, there needs to be some wiggle room created in a busy Patriots receiving core, which is something we haven’t heard of in years.

If the Patriots do decide to keep camp standouts, Nixon and Kristian Wilkerson, there will need to be a decision on Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, and Agholor in terms of who stays and who goes. And based on the 2021 success, Agholor is the guy.

Another interesting piece is that Meyers and Bourne both play very different roles compared to Agholor, and Thornton has already proven he could compete this season. And he just so happens to play the same role as a true deep threat receiver. The Patriots would also free up around $8.98 million in cap space, putting them at the expected $13 million-plus to operate for the season, per Miguel Benzan (PatsCap on twitter).

So with all signs pointing towards a potential Nelson Agholor trade, or cut, we take a look at potential landing spots and what an expected package could be from the following teams.

Bill Belichick explains how Nelson Agholor is taking ‘big jump’ in Year 2 with Patriots

“He’s made consistently, made plays obviously down the field which is very important but also in other areas, very few mental errors very few mistakes.”

It might be time to feel cautious optimism surrounding Nelson Agholor’s second season with the New England Patriots. Bill Belichick has long preached with rookies and veterans that it can take a full year to acclimate to the team’s way of doing things. So while Agholor’s first year was a bit of a mess (37 catches, 473 yards, 3 TDs), he might take the Year 2 leap.

Certainly, he has shown up in OTAs, minicamp and training camp in a much more meaningful way than he was able to do last season. The NFL didn’t even conduct OTAs or minicamp last year due to COVID-19. His ability to stretch the field and make highlight-reel plays has been impressive.

“It’s a big jump, big jump for him,” coach Bill Belichick said of Agholor before practice on Wednesday. “He was here all offseason and had a really good offseason, was productive. He had a really good spring of training. He’s come out here. He’s made consistently, made plays obviously down the field which is very important but also in other areas, very few mental errors very few mistakes. So he’s looked good.”

During the first two padded practices, the Patriots offense has been unimpressive in 11-on-11 drills, though the Agholor did make one of the best plays of the team’s two padded practices so far in training camp. He managed to haul in a deep ball along the right sideline.

Agholor could be among the team’s skill players who begin to lift the performance of the offense as they learn and apply their new scheme, which appears to be a significant shift in the wake of Josh McDaniels’ departure. Belichick, Matt Patricia and Joe Judge are developing and installing a new offense that looks similar to what Sean McVay runs with Los Angeles Rams.

“Similar but different,” Agholor said of the scheme alterations on offense. “(The coaches are) just doing a good job of just trying to get offensive players in position — taking the (routes) that come our way and looking at the defense for man or for zone. They do a good job.”

Even with the adversity that the offense is facing, quarterback Mac Jones and Agholor appear to have ignited a connection on the deep ball — one that was sorely lacking in 2021 after the Patriots signed the receiver to a two-year, $22 million deal. Of course, Agholor and Jones need to figure out how to bring their connection into 11-on-11 play with greater regularity (and then regular-season games). But in the meantime, Agholor and Jones are displaying progress, which is what training camp is all about — especially in these early days.

“We’re just gotta be consistent about it,” Agholor said on Tuesday. “Work every day at it. Be intentional about it. Have communication about it. And work hard. Run (downfield routes) when I’m tried. Run ’em when I’m fresh. We just gotta keep running ’em. I think, with those reps, it’ll put us in a good place.”

[listicle id=124802]

Mac Jones teams up with Patriots WRs Nelson Agholor, Tre Nixon for workout

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones teamed up with two wide receivers on Wednesday.

New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones had a throwing session on Wednesday, with training camp on the horizon.

Wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Tre Nixon joined the quarterback. Agholor recorded 37 catches for 473 yards and three touchdowns last year in what was considered a down season.

Nixon is trying to make a name for himself in what is becoming a crowded wide receivers room. It appears as if he’s on the right path. ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote a story earlier this week that explained how Nixon was impressive over the course of minicamp.

Jones has held several workouts with his receivers over the course of this off-season. He even managed to get some work in with wide receiver DeVante Parker, shortly after the latter came over from Miami.

As Jones looks to improve upon his rookie season, he is trying to make sure that everybody is on the same page.

[lawrence-related id=123803]

4 Patriots to watch during minicamp

We take a look at four players to watch during New England Patriots minicamp.

As New England Patriots minicamp begins this week, there will be a lot of names and faces to watch on what is a new-look team.

New talent at wide receiver, a revamp of the offensive line, and the departure of offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels headlined the big moves on offense.

The departures of linebackers and cornerback J.C. Jackson were the stories defensively, as the Patriots said goodbye to key veteran pieces. Now, it will be up to the younger linebackers and new acquisitions in the secondary, who will be thrown into the fire.

Today, we take a look at four players to watch as minicamp begins this week.

Patriots WR Nelson Agholor discusses Mac Jones’ ‘greatest strength’

Nelson Agholor had nothing but positive things to say about the Patriots’ second-year QB.

Mac Jones is entering his second NFL season with little continuity.

The New England Patriots lost Josh McDaniels, a few key offensive coaches and two of their best interior linemen. Typically, quarterbacks in the developmental stages of their career need that cohesion to grow and become the best version of themselves.

Many Patriots players believe Jones puts in the work and has the demeanor necessary to overcome these issues and still be great. Nelson Agholor spoke with the media on Tuesday and he explained why Jones has the work ethic to be great.

“He’s definitely trained his butt off, I can tell you that,” Agholor said, transcribed by NESN. “I see it every day when he comes in here. He works his butt off. He’s here every day putting the time in. And, obviously, when he throws the football, he throws the football well — really well. I’m impressed with what he does every day and how he works.”

Agholor then pointed to Jones’ greatest strength — his communication.

“I think Mac’s greatest strength is his ability to communicate,” Agholor said. “Obviously, he’s a great quarterback. I think he throws the ball amazing. But I love the way he communicates, and that’s something that allows you to grow together and work together, because communication is the key to every great relationship.

“He does a great job telling me what he sees. He does a great job of telling me what he likes about what I’m doing. He does a great job of (telling me about) some things that are hard for him to read when I move around and things like that. And once you know, there’s less gray area. … His communication is everything.”

The Patriots needed a great leader who can communicate and build relationships with the team. Tom Brady was an incredible leader and he left enormous shoes to fill. Jones understood the task while entering Gillette Stadium and he’s doing all the right things to be in the best position as possible.

Agholor continued to harp on the work ethic that makes Jones a great leader.

“He works hard, I can tell you that much,” Agholor said. “He leads by example with his effort each day. It’s consistent. He has consistent, hard-working effort, trains really hard, and he leads the bunch. So I think that is definitely something you must respect about him — how he trains.”

Jones has a receiver crew that includes Agholor, Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton. He has plenty of talent around him and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones outdid his rookie year.

[listicle id=122064]

Nelson Agholor thinks he’s poised for bounce-back 2022 season

Nelson Agholor is ready for a bigger 2022 season.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqby79hc76t2s390 player_id=none image=https://patriotswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

New England Patriots wide receiver Nelson Agholor is looking to bounce back after a season that saw him underperform in the team’s offense.

He caught 37 catches for 473 yards and three touchdowns in the 2021 season. He never recorded more than 55 yards and caught two or fewer passes in six games. Those numbers were down from a 2020 season that saw him tally 48 catches for 896 yards and eight touchdowns with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Heading into his second season with the organization, the Patriots acquired depth at the position in wide receiver DeVante Parker. They also drafted rookie Tyquan Thornton out of Baylor this past April. They will both compete for snaps with Agholor.

Still, Agholor feels more comfortable with the system and his role in the New England organization, as transcribed by Zack Cox of NESN.com.

“The best part about it is Year 2 in the Patriots system is when guys really get going,” Agholor said. “I feel comfortable, and I’m excited to have my best season with the Patriots and show why I’m here.”

“And I know the routes. Because the route tree is unique. I mean, everybody runs certain routes, but the route tree is a little different than what I’ve ran before, and now I know it, so now I get to put my own spin on how we do things and play fast. So I’m just growing, practicing, putting stuff on tape and being comfortable with it — putting my own flavor on what I put on tape. Whereas a year ago, I was learning, so you do things at a certain learning tempo. You never get to just go full speed because you want to make sure you’re doing it right, so you kind of move with caution. Now I know what it looks like and I get to just put my flavor on it.

Agholor will return to a Patriots wide receiver room that includes Jakobi Meyers, the team’s leading receiver last year. He will also get another chance to reunite with quarterback Mac Jones, who is entering his second season.

The stars are aligning for Agholor to have a smoother season, as he looks to become a valuable depth piece for a Patriots wide receiver room that is yearning for a big-time playmaker. With training camp on the horizon, his role on the team remains in question.

[lawrence-related id=122198]

Nelson Agholor on sizable salary: I’m excited to ‘show why I’m here’

Nelson Agholor on 2022: “It’s behind us.”

The numbers don’t make sense when weighing Nelson Agholor’s production against his salary. The New England Patriots receiver finished with 37 catches for 473 yards and three touchdowns in 2021 after signing a two-year deal worth up to $24 million. He’s set to have a cap hit of $14.8 million with almost $10 million in new money in 2022.

So if he’s going to make that contract worthwhile for the Patriots, he’s going to have to provide a significant uptick in production — unless, of course, New England renegotiates his contract (or trades him). Agholor faced a question about that contract and whether something might get done to make the money better match his production.

“I don’t focus on that,” Agholor said with a smile. “You know, I’m here for a reason. And I love the opportunity that’s given to me to be a Patriot, to work hard. And the best part about it is in year two in the Patriots’ system is when guys really get going. And I feel comfortable, and I’m excited to have my best season with the Patriots and show why I’m here.”

That was Agholor’s resounding message throughout his meeting with the media through videoconference on Tuesday: he and the Patriots are more optimistic than last season about what they can accomplish. Quarterback Mac Jones is entering his second season in the NFL. Receivers Kendrick Bourne and Agholor and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry are entering their second seasons in the Patriots system. They have a better understanding of the playbook and of each other.

The offseason is a time for optimism, but the Patriots’ optimism is founded in some reality. New England threw for the 14th most passing yards (4,098), the 15th most passing touchdowns (24) and the fifth-most yards per attempt (7.7). That’s a decent foundation around which the team can build, and they added receivers DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton and running back Pierre Strong. Agholor, however, has a lot of ground to make up if he’s going to take on a bigger role after his lackluster 2021.

“Well, it’s behind us, but I would say that it went the way it was supposed to for me to grow,” Agholor said. “I can’t really look at it any other way. I needed to grow, I needed to adapt, I needed to be able to do what I wanted to do, and I think everything happens for a reason. I’m not gonna get upset about this or that because it’s in the past. What I do have in front of me is a really wonderful opportunity this year to be what I’m supposed to be and play the way I want to play, so I’m all right with that.”

[listicle id=122170]

Nelson Agholor mum on who’s running the Patriots offense

“You got to ask coach Belichick.”

New England Patriots receiver Nelson Agholor kept things mysterious when asked to clarify the team’s coaching situation.

After former Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels joined the Las Vegas Raiders, he brought along the team’s offensive line coach (Cole Popvich), receivers coach (Mick Lombardi) and assistant quarterbacks coach (Bo Hardegree). So that left Nick Caley, the tight ends coach, along with recently-rehired assistant Joe Judge. The Patriots are moving Matt Patricia to the offensive side after a year in the front office. It also seems Vinnie Sunseri (running backs), Troy Brown (receivers) and Bobby Yates (offensive line) are all ascending in their roles with the team after being either assistant position coaches or co-position coaches.

But Agholor wasn’t sharing any of the official changes. He was asked who is coaching receivers.

“You got to ask coach Belichick,” he said.

And who’s running the offense?

“Ask coach Belichick,” he repeated.

OK then.

[listicle id=122170]

N’Keal Harry is on the outs with the Patriots, but what about Nelson Agholor?

DeVante Parker is likely to bump at least one receiver off the roster. Maybe two.

The arrival of DeVante Parker is likely to spell the departure of N’Keal Harry. It’s that simple. Parker is the type of player that Harry, a 2019 first-round pick, was supposed to develop into. New England tried — perhaps too long — to develop Harry within their system with plenty of opportunities to earn a spot as the team’s outside receiver. He couldn’t handle it.

So they had to bring in Parker, who joined the Patriots in a trade that sent a third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the receiver and a fifth-round pick. Parker is familiar with the expectations of being a first-round pick, but he was much closer to fitting the billing of a WR1. In fact, in 2019 (his only season where he played every game), he was just that. But in every other season, Parker has struggled with injuries, which has hampered his production. He has eclipsed 1,000 yards just once.

Because of his inconsistent production, it’s unclear how Parker will fit into the Patriots offense — and how big his role will be.

So that begs the question: Will Parker’s arrival impact receiver Nelson Agholor? Might the Patriots explore trading Agholor?

New England will not cut Agholor. The dead cap charge of $10 million is far too substantial. But if the Patriots traded him, they would free up roughly $9 million in cap space. That’s a big number — enough to potentially add one more big piece to this team in 2022 or to save up more cap space for a potentially busy 2023 offseason. (Salary cap space rolls over.) At the trade deadline, teams may make some very good receivers available. There’s a chance DK Metcalf, A.J. Brown, and Deebo Samuel could be available, among others. There are plenty of reasons to value that $9 million of flexibility.

Agholor is a totally different receiver than Parker. But they do line up in the same place in the offense: on the outside. Parker took just 13% of his 2021 snaps in the slot. Agholor took just 9%. The more they put both players on the field, the more they’re likely to remove Jakobi Meyers and Kendrick Bourne — the most product pass-catchers in 2021. So it’s likely the Patriots deploy a rotation of outside receivers with Parker, Agholor and Bourne (who took 36.4% of his snaps in the slot and 62.5% outside).

That’s not even factoring in tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith, who are among the highest-paid players at the position. The Patriots are going to want them on the field often in 2022.

On one hand, the Patriots could still use Agholor. As mentioned, Parker’s injury issues are significant, and history suggests he could miss time in 2022. In the event that happens, Agholor’s role will increase. And there’s also a sound argument that, by putting Parker into a rotation, he might be less likely to suffer an injury, with fewer snaps and less stress on his body. Agholor could prove very useful.

On the other hand, the Patriots are set to pay Agholor $11 million in 2022 with a cap number of $14.9 million. Last season, he had 37 catches, 473 yards and three touchdowns. He may see an uptick in his production, even with a lower snap count. But how much upside is there? What if the Patriots find Parker to be consistently effective in the role and Agholor falls to WR4?

There are a lot of hypotheticals with Agholor. Maybe he’ll play better next year. But if you look at his career, you see just one impressive season: 2020 with the Raiders. That looks more like the outlier than the rule. And if the Patriots want to continue to build their team around Mac Jones, they need to bank on better players than Agholor — and Parker for that matter. The Patriots need more help. So they should at least consider moving on from Agholor, if they see other ways to make this team substantially better.

Maybe an opportunity doesn’t present itself. Maybe the Patriots agree to terms on the perfect deal in free agency or the trade market. But if something better comes along, they should consider it.

[listicle id=120672]