Patriots reportedly have their eyes on several high-profile wide receivers

The New England Patriots are in the market for some wide receiver help, and they are apparently casting a wide net. Several reports on Wednesday have linked the team to players both the trade and the free agency markets.

Among those are the Denver Broncos’ Jerry Jeudy and the Arizona Cardinals’ DeAndre Hopkins. According to Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Patriots have called both teams but “the price point remains a key component.”

Whereas Denver is rumored to be looking for at least a first-round draft pick to part ways with Jeudy, the Cardinals might be move on from Hopkins for a Day 2 selection. The Patriots currently are in possession of the 14the overall selection in this year’s draft, as well as the 46th and 76th in the second and third rounds, respectively.

Jeudy, 23, arrived in Denver in the first round of the 2020 draft. The Alabama product has since appeared in 41 games, catching 157 combined passes for 2,295 yards and nine touchdowns. The 6-foot-1, 193-pounder is coming off his best season to date, going 67-972-6 in 15 games.

Hopkins, 30, has been in the league since 2013 and is one of the best pass catchers of his era. Starting his career with the Houston Texans, he earned three first-team All-Pro nominations before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals — a move that was made when current Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien served as Texans head coach and stand-in general manager. All in all, he has played 151 career games and caught almost 900 passes.

Those two are not the only wide receivers linked to the Patriots at this point in time. The team also attended a recent workout by Odell Beckham Jr. in Arizona last week, and has been in touch with fellow free agent wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster.

New England already lost one member of its wide receiver group in free agency this week. Jakobi Meyers, who led the team in targets and receiving yards for three straight years, is headed to Las Vegas on a three-year, $33 million contract. In addition, Nelson Agholor remains unaccounted for as an unrestricted free agent.

With Meyers gone and Agholor potentially leaving as well after two disappointing seasons, the Patriots are down to five wide receivers on their current roster. DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton project as the top three, with practice squadders Tre Nixon and Lynn Bowden Jr. rounding out the group.