Report: Patriots Just Signed New Wide Receiver… He’s A Real Beast

The New England Patriots held their second straight session in full-pads on Sunday. The past few days of Patriots training camp have been pretty exciting, and the team’s receiving corps gaining a new member is one of the reasons for it.

Paul Turner, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles and New Orleans Saints, signed with the team Friday afternoon.

“I was overjoyed just to have that opportunity to try out,” Turner said Sunday. “Not many people even get the opportunity to work out again with teams. So for me, (my plan was) just go home, do some recovery and then go up here and put my best foot forward.”

In Philly, Turner had an impressive 2016 preseason, catching 17 passes for 165 yards as an undrafted rookie, and he enjoyed modest success after being promoted from the team’s practice squad that December. However, he missed the entire 2017 campaign due to a fractured scapula. The wide receiver lasted less than six months with the Saints before being released in late June.

Turner made his practice debut with New England on Saturday and is now learning the Patriots’ complex playbook.

“I mean, it’s been difficult,” he admitted. “But for me, it’s really just (about) trying to go in there and just focus on little things and taking things one day at a time. … And I feel like if I can just continue to focus on those things — the little things — everything will start to come together slowly.

“But it’s coming. I’m just having to put in a lot of work at night and a lot of work when we have a lot of free time. It’s not going to come all in one day or in the next couple of days. It’s a complicated offense. So all you can do is just study, and I know it will come. I know I’ll pick it up sooner or later.”

Here’s new Patriots wideout Paul Turner, who made his practice debut yesterday. He admitted learning the playbook has been “difficult” but said he’s getting there. pic.twitter.com/eHkFPXETqC

— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) July 29, 2018

So far, Turner has appeared in four regular-season NFL games, catching nine passes for 126 yards.