It’s no secret the Patriots need to add weapons to the offense this offseason. Whether it’s via free agency, trade or the draft, the team simply cannot go into 2021 with the options they had a year ago.
Yes, Jakobi Meyers broke out last season and figures to play a key role in the offense moving forward. But after him, there’s a whole lot of question marks. N’Keal Harry, who enters his third season with 45 catches, 414 yards and four touchdowns, has yet to show any signs of being able to consistently produce week in and week out. Gunner Olszewski may be the best punt returner in the league, but is a work in progress offensively. Julian Edelman will be 35 in May and cannot be relied upon as a No. 1 option anymore. Damiere Byrd is a free agent.
Meyers, and perhaps Edelman, figure to have the slot duties locked down, but that does not solve the team’s glaring weakness on the boundaries. Luckily for the Pats, this year’s crop of collegiate prospects is strong once again. But there’s a decent number of holes on this roster that they may choose to prioritize first. Should they address those other needs early on, similar to last year there are a decent number of wide receiver options that could be had later in the draft.
Tennessee’s Josh Palmer is one of those options that could help fill that need late on Day 3.
Josh Palmer – Tennessee
Week 1 Age: 21
2020 Stats: 33 receptions, 475 yards, 4 touchdowns, 14.4 yards-per-catch
Size: 6’2” 210 lbs
Projected Round: Round 6-7
Throughout his four years in college, Palmer was never a household name as far as the nation’s top receivers go. In fact, he was the third option in the Volunteers offense behind Marquez Callaway, now with the Saints, and Jauan Jennings, now a 49er, for most of his career. 2020 was supposed to be the year Palmer broke out, but that was not the case, particularly due to poor quarterback play. The Patriots would be investing in potential rather than past production.
If there’s one thing Palmer does well, it’s going up and getting the football. He has plus size as a boundary receiver, and the athleticism and ball skills to outplay physical corners. Here he is from last month’s Senior Bowl.
Palmer’s speed won’t jump off the page for anyone, but he makes up for it by using his size to fight through press man coverage. Here he is again against Georgia’s DJ Daniel.
Most importantly, Palmer can combine his size, physicality and ball skills to potentially carve out a role for himself in the red zone, an area the Patriots especially lacked in 2020. Ranked 24th in total red zone offense, the team only logged seven touchdown passes from inside the 20 a season ago. Palmer could provide a big body on the outside with a knack for making a play on the ball.
Fantastic job at knowing where the sideline was, with solid in-air body control in order to make the catch.
Is he a fit for the Patriots? At 6’2”, Palmer could provide the team with the big bodied receiver they envisioned when they selected Harry in 2019. Piggybacking off his lack of burst, Palmer is by no means a guy who will stretch the field for the offense. His route tree was also rather limited in college, but the Patriots rarely ask players to do things they’re incapable of, especially younger players. Instead, they zero in on a particular player’s skillset, and Palmer could provide a contested catch option for whoever is under center next season and potentially factor in to fixing the team’s red zone woes that hindered the offense last year.
