PATRIOTS FREE AGENTS: None.

NOTABLE EXTERNAL FREE AGENTS: George Pickens (franchise tag), Alec Pierce, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Rashid Shaheed, Romeo Doubs, Wan'Dale Robinson, Jalen Nailor, Christian Kirk, Keenan Allen, DeAndre Hopkins, Calvin Austin III, Marquise Brown, Brandin Cooks, Jalen Tolbert, Tutu Atwell

The conversation for the Patriots at wide receiver starts with an improved receiver corps in 2025, all of whom are all under contract for the 2026 season heading into the new league year.

After having one of the weaker wide receiver rooms during QB Drake Maye's rookie season, New England took a huge step forward in 2025. The Patriots finished the season ranked fourth in Pro Football Focus receiving grade and had four receivers rank in the top-25 of ESPN's receiver score metric: Stefon Diggs (2nd), Mack Hollins (10th), DeMario Douglas (11th), and Kayshon Boutte (25th). Plus, rookie WR Kyle Williams flashed his field-stretching ability. Even if he still has some room to grow as a route-runner, there are reasons for optimism that Williams could be a contributor.

Diggs established himself as the No. 1 receiver in 2025. He had a 1,000-yard season coming off a torn ACL at age 32 and was the coverage-dictating receiver the Patriots were seeking. Diggs saw extra attention throughout the playoffs in the form of bracket coverage. By having defenders sit on either side of Diggs, it took away the option routes that Diggs feasts on, and the veteran wideout might not have the vertical gear to beat double teams at this stage of his career. In the playoffs, Diggs had just 14 catches for 110 yards and a touchdown, 27.5 yards per game, compared to 59.6 YPG in the regular season.

Behind the Pats star wideout, Hollins came back from a spleen injury to be one of Maye's more reliable playoff performers. Hollins had 50-plus yards in both of his playoff games and his size, sure hands over the middle of the field, and blocking ability were assets for the offense. Boutte made an outstanding touchdown grab against the Texans in a divisional round win but was held in check in the AFC title game and Super Bowl. Douglas had flashes of downfield separation on tape vs. the Seahawks, but New England struggled to get him the ball in Super Bowl LX. Ultimately, the Patriots have a core group that made positive strides last season. However, the Pats receiver corps contributed to some of the issues the offense had in the postseason. New England's receiving grade dropped from 87.6 in the regular season to 63.2 in the playoffs.

Now, it feels as though it's less about adding depth and more about hunting for another elite playmaker to join Diggs, who can perform against top defenses. Given that opponents were clamping down on Diggs and TE Hunter Henry between the numbers, adding a dynamic outside receiver to complement their two inside threats makes the most sense for the Patriots. That said, it gets tricky for two reasons. First, Boutte and Hollins played well in those outside receiver roles, so adding an impact playmaker means there will be an odd man out. Second, the options for adding a legitimate No. 1 receiver or a 1B to Diggs are limited in the veteran market.

If he hits unrestricted free agency, which is far from a given, Colts free-agent Alec Pierce is the top prize. Pierce is one of the league's premier deep threats as the league-leader in yards per reception over the last two seasons. Pierce has good size (6-3, 211) and legit vertical speed (4.41s 40), making him a great size-speed weapon on the outside for a deep-ball artist like Maye. There will be debates about whether Pierce is a true No. 1 option or a nice sidekick, which could bring into question how much of an upgrade Pierce is compared to Boutte, Hollins, and others. Plus, Pro Football Focus projects Pierce will earn roughly $25 million per year on the open market. If he shakes free, Pierce would be a great fit, but the price tag will be hefty.

Barring a splash trade acquisition such as A.J. Brown or another veteran, Pierce is the guy on the veteran market. After him, there's either pass-catchers with more baggage (Pickens), receivers similar to the Patriots current players (Shaheed, Doubs), or aging veterans (Evans, Samuel, Hopkins, Cooks) – it thins out quickly. New England might need to turn to the draft, where they could take another swing on projected first-rounders Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion or a day-two cluster that includes Chris Brazzell II, Omar Cooper Jr., and others.

Ideally, the Patriots could find another blue-chip talent to add to their wide receiver room that would make defenses pay for taking out or think twice about doubling Diggs and complete New England's passing offense by having true coverage-dictators on the inside and outside. If that opportunity doesn't come to fruition, the Patriots have enough with proper protection, sound scheming, and an elevator in Maye to be a productive passing offense in 2026.

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