The New England Patriots have been consistently tied to nearly every available top wide receiver over the last five years, whether it be during free agency or ahead of the trade deadline. That's no different, even this season, despite having a receiving corps outperforming all expectations, led by Kayshon Boutte and Stefon Diggs. It explains why there will inevitably be an interest in former WR1 Brandin Cooks, who requested his release from the New Orleans Saints this week, and is now headed to waivers.
On the surface, the New England Patriots' 42-13 pasting of the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon is quite the rosy picture. Patriots' fans have been waiting a long time - four seasons in fact - for New England's offense to put up 40 points. It gave us flashbacks to the good old days of Tom Brady marching up and down the Foxborough gridiron.
The excitement around the Patriots' defense was high going into the 2025 season, with the secondary being near the top of the list of groups with the most potential to become the best part of the roster. That was highlighted by Mike Vrabel's decision to sign cornerback Carlton Davis III to join Christian Gonzalez, a duo that has the potential to be the best 1-2 punch in the league.
If you're a Miami Dolphins fan, you're confident of just one thing Sunday: The New England Patriots offer the best remedy for your situation. At home. At 1 p.m. At this panic-button crossroads of two, 0-1 teams facing the kind of pressure you shouldn't see entering a second week. The schedule couldn't offer a better opponent, because you see the New England jerseys and they haven't scared you for years.
