3 Offensive Weapons the Patriots Need to Target to Keep Tom Brady in New England

Part of the reason Tom Brady struggled to play like Tom Brady in 2019 was a lack of quality weapons to hand the ball off to or throw downfield to. With Brady set to be a free agent this offseason, the only chance the Patriots have of keeping him is enticing him to return by spending money on skill position players in free agency, paired with a $30 million+ contract for TB12 himself. These three studs will all be on the open market, and New England could be a perfect destination.

3. WR Emmanuel Sanders

San Francisco 49ers WR Emmanuel Sanders / Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

Sanders recorded 869 yards receiving and six touchdowns, splitting time between Denver and San Francisco, with whom he made a Super Bowl appearance. New England values separation on short and intermediate routes above all other traits, and Sanders has made an entire career off of separating at the line of scrimmage. Even though he'll be 33 next year, Sanders is extremely productive, and is more than worth a look from New England. Probably should've been there already, honestly. Sorry, Mohamed Sanu.

2. TE Austin Hooper

Atlanta Falcons TE Austin Hooper / Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Hooper will not stay on the free agent market for long, as several other contenders that need a tight end will be more than happy to pay up for the Pro Bowler. The former Stanford Cardinal star has made two straight Pro Bowls while catching 146 passes and 10 touchdowns over the 2018 and 2019 seasons. The Patriots could have played the entire season without a tight end, and you wouldn't have noticed much of a difference. Hooper certainly isn't Rob Gronkowski, but he's a better fit in that offense than 38-year-old Ben Watson.

1. RB Melvin Gordon

Los Angeles Chargers RB Melvin Gordon / Rob Leiter/Getty Images

Gordon might have had one of the poorest seasons of his career after his holdout, but he's still going to cash in when he becomes a free agent. The Chargers could theoretically allow him to walk and give Austin Ekeler total control in the backfield. Sony Michel and James White both slowed down just a notch last season, and Belichick loves to have an unquestioned lead dog in the backfield. Gordon could revitalize his career in New England if the Patriots can come up with the money.