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The 2025 NFL offseason is heating up, meaning it's time for the New England Patriots to get busy. After swapping out Jerod Mayo for Mike Vrabel at head coach, the Patriots need to upgrade their roster from top to bottom, whether it be through free agency, the trade market, or the 2025 NFL draft. With the free agent market set to open in less than a week, though, that is the immediate focus for the time being.
New England has several big needs they have to address this offseason, and none of them may be more pressing than the wide receiver position. Thankfully, there are several big name options available in free agency and on the trade market, so with the rumor mill really beginning to get spicy, let's run through the Patriots wide receiver wishlist before things get hectic.
Christian Kirk
The Jacksonville Jaguars surprised a lot of folks when they signed Christian Kirk to a four-year, $72 million contract back in 2022, but he promptly turned in the most productive season of his career that season, hauling in 84 receptions for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. His production tailed off over the next two seasons, with Brian Thomas Jr. cementing himself as the Jags top receiver in 2024 as a rookie.
That made Kirk expendable, with Jacksonville releasing him on Wednesday in order to save a little over $10 million in cap space. Injuries limited Kirk to just eight games last season, but when he's healthy, he can do a little bit of everything. Kirk is a shifty route runner who excels in the short-to-intermediate areas of the field, and right now, New England needs multiple guys who can get open for Drake Maye.
Kirk's value isn't as high as it was back in 2022, but he should still earn a solid contract now that he's on the open market. Ideally, Kirk would be added in addition to another wideout, as he profiles as more of a No. 2 guy than the de facto top option. If the price is right, though, the Pats should pounce and try to scoop Kirk up on a team-friendly deal.
Davante Adams
The likelihood of Davante Adams ending up with New England is low, as it seems he will likely either team up with his longtime quarterback Aaron Rodgers again, or head to the other side of the country and join a team on the west coast. But Adams is still one of the best wide receivers in the game, meaning the Patriots would be foolish to not make a push for him at the very least.
Adams split his time in 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets, and even though he missed three games, he was still incredibly productive, catching 85 passes for 1,063 yards and eight touchdowns. Adams is set to enter his age 33 season, and while the Jets were miserable even after trading for him last season, he still proved himself to be near the top of his game.
Whereas Kirk isn't necessarily the top pass-catching option that an offense can lean on, Adams is, which is why pursuing him makes sense for the Patriots, even if signing him must be viewed as a longshot. New England has cash to burn, though, so if they blow the other offers Adams has on the table out of the water, could they find a way to get a deal done here?
DK Metcalf
One of the worst kept secrets in the NFL was confirmed on Wednesday when DK Metcalf officially requested a trade off of the Seattle Seahawks. Metcalf has been viewed as the top trade target for the Patriots at wide receiver for months now, and reports have indicated that after having tepid interest at first, they have ramped things up over the past couple of days.
2024 was not Metcalf's best season, but he was still productive, racking up 66 receptions for 992 yards and five touchdowns. His role in the offense decreased as the season went on, with Jaxon Smith-Njigba becoming Geno Smith's top option in the passing game. Make no mistake, though; Metcalf is still one of the most physically imposing wide receivers in the game, and a change of scenery should benefit him.
Metcalf is a big-play threat every time he steps on the field, and his big frame makes him a perfect target for Maye, who has shown he's capable of airing the ball out down the field. The issue with Metcalf is that he doesn't seem too receptive to a move for Foxboro, Massachusetts, so if his arrival creates more headaches for the team, it'd be best to look elsewhere.
Chris Godwin
With Tee Higgins getting franchise tagged by the Cincinnati Bengals again, that leaves Chris Godwin as arguably the top option at wide receiver in free agency. This isn't the first time the Patriots have been linked to Godwin, but reports indicate that they will be going all-in on him now that Higgins is no longer available.
Godwin was in the process of putting together the best season of his career in 2024 before he suffered a dislocated ankle in Week 7 that cut his season short. In his seven games played, Godwin was arguably the most productive wide receiver in the league, grabbing 50 passes for 576 yards and five touchdowns.
Even though he's coming off a serious injury, Godwin is going to get paid this offseason. A return to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers isn't off the table, but if he hits the open market, he's going to have his suitors. Godwin can do everything at a high level, and while he will likely have to shake off some rust when he returns to the field, he's the top free agent New England should pursue at this position.
Cooper Kupp
Perhaps the most surprising development early on this offseason has been the notion that the Patriots don't have interest in trading for Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp. Sure, he hasn't come close to producing like he did in his historic 2021 campaign over the past three years, but he's dealt with injuries while also being replaced as the team's top option in the passing game by Puka Nacua.
Kupp revealed that the Rams are going to explore trades for him this offseason, and it's not too hard to see why. With Nacua's ascent, trading Kupp allows Los Angeles to invest more in other areas of their roster. In 2024, Kupp caught 67 balls for 710 yards and six touchdowns, and while they aren't standout numbers, he had some big outings along the way (14 catches, 110 yards, one touchdown in Week 1) that proved he still can be the player he was in 2021 if given the chance to do so.
On paper, Kupp is the top option available for New England this offseason. He's precisely what this offense needs; a crisp route-runner with reliable hands who can get open at all three levels of the field and make things happen when he has the ball in his hands. Beyond that, he will cost less in terms of money and assets given to the Rams in order to get a deal done. Kupp is the best option for the Patriots; let's just hope they can come to their senses and realize that before it's too late.
