Can Patriots Avoid Making Same Mistake They Did With Puka Nacua?
As the New England Patriots prepare to overhaul their offense in free agency and in the NFL Draft, the team has to learn from a costly decision at this time last year.
The Patriots showed legitimate interest in wide receiver Puka Nacua during the 2023 draft process, meeting during the NFL Scouting Combine and at the Senior Bowl. The BYU product ended up being one of the steals of the draft, just not for the Patriots.
The Los Angeles Rams eventually selected Nacua with the 177th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He then turned into an instant Pro Bowler, hauling in 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns during his rookie campaign, giving veteran Matthew Stafford another elite target to get the ball to in Sean McVay’s offense.
Furthermore, Nacua rewrote the history books, breaking the NFL rookie receiving record with the most receptions and yards for a first-year pass-catcher.
The mutual interest between Nacua and the Patriots paired with his eventual NFL production makes the draft miss hurt for New England. On either side of the Rams selecting Nacua, the Patriots took guard Atonio Mafi 11 picks before, followed by a receiver selection with Kayshon Boutte in the sixth round.
The Boutte pick especially can lead to second-guessing picks with Nacua. After catching a would’ve-been first down out of bounds in the final minutes of New England’s Week 1 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Boutte played in just four more games for the Patriots with a total of two catches. The LSU product could enter his sophomore season with uncertainty around his future in New England.
From quarterback to wide receiver, the Patriots have to find playmakers in order to restore their offense to NFL competition. They’ve already been laughed at in the past and must operate the draft this season with a chance to flip the script.