NFL Analyst Views Patriots As Perfect Fit For ‘Sneaky-Good’ Free Agent

The New England Patriots had too many troubles in 2019. This wasn’t their best season. This wasn’t Tom Brady’s best season. The offense struggled a lot. In other words, tight end Rob Gronkowski left the team on thin ice. Well, Gronk sure waited for too long before he made a decision on his career. He made one, but it came too late. All the good tight ends were gone. Had coach Bill Belichick didn’t have a chance to sign a talented player. Well, the Patriots may go after another free agent this offseason. No, we won’t put Brady in this mix. The Patriots quarterback is part of a completely different story. His contract situation is really complex.

The Patriots had a hard time replacing Gronk. They tried so many different players. None of them worked. It was impossible to replace the future Hall of Famer. The Patriots had a terrible post-Gronk season. Ben Watson, Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo combined for 36 catches and two touchdowns in 27 games. This is far from impressive. Their struggle was more than obvious.

The official start of free agency adds even more pressure at this point of the year.

The Patriots may have a free agent on their radar

ESPN NFL analyst Matt Bowen has a theory. According to him, Austin Hooper can save the situation. He may be the best fit for the Patriots.

“At age 25, with the route-running chops to win in the middle of the field, Hooper will have plenty of options on the open market,” Bowen wrote. “In 13 games last season, he caught 75 passes for 787 yards and five scores. An ideal fit for Hooper in 2020? Give me the Patriots.”

The Patriots will probably have an aggressive approach this offseason. The prospect pool at the tight end position in this class is pretty week. Head coach Bill Belichick hasn’t found anything that attracts his attention. Inexperienced players don’t really fit in the Patriots offense. They all have some sort of a problem on the field.

Hooper may not be the only option for New England. They may easily go after Hunter Henry. His name was commonly mentioned in recent reports.

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