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This past season the New England Patriots once again proved that they are still a dynasty. They finished 11-5 in the regular season, winning the AFC East Division.
Even though quarterback Tom Brady was 41 years of age, he still led an offense that was one of the best in the league. They averaged 27.3 points per game, which ranked fourth overall in the entire NFL. Their defense wasn't too shabby either, only allowing 20.3 points per game. This ranked seventh overall.
The Patriots then steamrolled through the playoffs. They beat the Los Angeles Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs with a combined 78 points scored. Bill Belichick and Brady showed that they can still beat teams handily with their offensive attack. Even though they had only a shell of Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman to throw to, they were still able to be successful.
The team ended up winning it all, topping the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 13-3. Even though the game was low scoring, the lack of offense was more a product of the game plan. The Rams' one weakness was their ability to stop the run. Brady only went to his weapons when he needed to. However, he really didn't have the options. Edelman had a wonderful game, but outside of him and Gronk, there weren't many dynamic playmakers on the field.
Heading into the offseason, there are many questions that the organization needs to answer. Many have wondered if Brady will hang up his cleats sometime soon. The same goes for Belichick and his tight end Gronkowski. However, assuming both will be back next season, the Patriots desperately need to provide Brady with some firepower. They picked up Josh Gordon during the regular season, but he wasn't able to stay on the field due to off-the-field issues.
The Patriots need an adaptable wideout who can be consistent. Brady hasn't had a new consistent toy to work with in awhile. The team needs to add some more depth to their wide receiving core.
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Golden Tate would fit their needs perfectly. Sure, Edelman is also a tweener slot-receiver, but who says that's a bad thing. Both are excellent route-runners. They can be utilized in a number of ways, and it's not as if Brady needs a receiver who goes up and grabs deep throws. Gronkowski can do that, assuming he returns.
Tate split time with the Detroit Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles last season. The Eagles were looking for a spark to their offense and traded for his services. Tate was on the last year of his deal, so it simply was a rental for the team. He had 74 total receptions for 795 yards and four receptions. It was a bit of a down year for Tate, but it's not surprising seeing that he swapped teams midway through the season.
The Patriots adding a weapon like Tate would open up their offense even further. Though he's not the automatic 100 receptions and 1,000 yards he used to be, he is still very effective and is a strong veteran leader. It wouldn't be surprising in the slightest to see the team go after him at the right price.
