The New England Patriots tried to swing big for a wide receiver in free agency this spring, but they struck out. They missed out on Calvin Ridley and settled on KJ Osborn. Needless to say, it has not worked.

With Drake Maye now below the middle for the Patriots, the team cannot afford to strike out in free agency again, and at the same time T-shirt Higgins and Chris Godwin will represent the wide receivers they should target, they should also go bargain hunting for more pieces.

One potential name New England should definitely pursue is Los Angeles Chargers wide out Joshua Palmer.

Palmer has admittedly been somewhat of a disappointment in Los Angeles, especially considering he appeared poised to break out in 2022 when he hauled in 72 receptions for 769 yards and three touchdowns.

Since then, however, Palmer’s production has been spotty. He was limited to just 10 games due to injuries last year, and so far in 2024 he has logged 20 catches for 365 yards and a score.

The big-play ability is clearly there, as evidenced by the fact that Palmer is averaging 18.3 yards per catch this season (he also posted 15.3 yards per reception in 2023).

But with the emergence of Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston in the Chargers’ receiving corps (not to mention tight end Will Dissly), Palmer has become an additional option.

Palmer isn’t flashy, but he has good size (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) and impressive hands that would make him a very reliable target for Maye.

If the Pats can land someone like Higgins, they can also add Palmer as a secondary option. Let’s face it: they don’t have a lot of talent at the wide receiver position right now, and bringing in Palmer in addition to a No. 1 pass-catcher would be a game-changer for Maye and the offense.

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