The New England Patriots are sniffing around the free-agent receiver market, and brought in Justin Hunter for a workout earlier today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. As Rapoport points out, their interest could have something to do with the injury Julian Edelman recently suffered.

Edelman is dealing with a thumb issue that will reportedly sideline him for a few weeks. Hunter was a highly heralded prospect coming out of college, and he got drafted 34th overall back in 2013 by the Titans. He played decently at times but never made the impact Tennessee expected.

He then bounced around a little bit, spending time with the Dolphins and Bills. He spent the past two seasons with the Steelers, operating as a reserve receiver who played sparingly. His best season in the league came in 2014 when he racked up 498 yards and three touchdowns on 28 catches.

For his career, he has 85 receptions, 1,349 yards, and 13 touchdowns. He's still only 28, so he should have plenty left in the tank physically. Hunter has always been a significant deep threat and has averaged 15.9 yards per reception for his career. The Patriots lost Chris Hogan this offseason, who often served as their deep threat, so perhaps Hunter could try to fill that role.

The Patriots often cycle through receivers and have random guys often end up making big contributions. All that being said, it's unlikely that they'll even sign him, and if they do, he very likely won't make too big of an impact.