Usually, I write about Celtics/NBA stories as you all know, but since we are at the slow point of the NBA off-season, I decided to switch it up and take a look at Boston's other local team, the Patriots. Last year we all know what happened against the Eagles so I won't go over that again but that game the offense was something else. Brady throwing for over 500 yards and at least three receivers with 100+ yards, it was a great show. However, this year's offense could look a little different because the receiving core is kinda thin. Last year you had Brady throwing to the likes of Amendola and Brandon Cooks but now this year's receiver depth is well not quite as star-studded. Currently, the Patriots receivers are as follows: 1) Julian Edelman (suspended first four games), 2) Chris Hogan, 3) Cordarelle Paterson, 4) Kenny Britt, 5) Eric Decker, 6) Phillip Dorsett, along with some rookies and training camp invitees as well. That list right there isn't the best group of receivers for Brady to throw to, it's almost a flashback to the Rece Caldwell years where there was hardly a recognizable name on there besides Troy Brown (an end of the line Troy Brown). So who exactly is out there that maybe could help the Patriots receiving core this year as a patchwork kind of service? Let's take a look at three different possibilities for the team (in no particular order by the way):

1) Dez Bryant:

Let's just start with the most talked about name around here, Dez Bryant. Last year Bryant finished with 69 catches, 838 yards, and six touchdowns. The 838 is slightly down from his career average of 932 yards per season so that is something that jumps out to you that his production may be going down but I mean at this point, should it really matter? The way Dez was being used in Dallas he was a number one receiver/the go-to guy whereas if he were to come over here, Dez could replace the role of Cooks being the new deep threat for Brady and we all know how much Brady likes having a legit deep threat receiver (see Moss and Cooks). Bryant has the second-most touchdown grabs in the NFL over the last five seasons. Plus, his production waned greatly last season, only because of Dak Prescott regressing in year two. Don't put it past the mind Belichick to recognize the cause of Bryant's statistical dip and unite him with Tom Brady to form a frightening offensive pairing. Dez has stated multiple times he wants to play for a contender, and there is no franchise that's been in the mix for a Lombardi Trophy more consistently than the Patriots over the last two decades.

2) Brandon LaFell:

Next up is familiar face Brandon LaFell. LaFell finished last year with 52 catches, 548 yards, and three touchdowns. LaFell spent two years with the Patriots, notably contributing on the team's 2014 run to a Super Bowl XLIX victory over Seattle. That season, he caught 74 passes for 953 yards and seven touchdowns while suiting up for all 16 regular-season games. While he may not be exactly what they're looking for at the position, as LaFell can line up in the slot but is much more of an outside receiver. However, with a receiving corps that will be missing Julian Edelman for four games and may be relying on the likes of Cordarrelle Patterson and Riley McCarron, the Patriots could do much worse than LaFell in terms of adding a reliable veteran to help move the chains and put some points on the board for an offense that will need them. The only issue you could point out is that he is 32 years old and for a receiver, that is old but as stated before, it does not hurt to add a vet like him to the team plus he already knows the offense too. He won't be like other veteran receiver casualties in the past like Joey Galloway and Torry Holt who said the offense was too hard for them and didn't make it past camp.

3) Jeremy Maclin:

The last name on my list is Jeremy Maclin. Maclin is an interesting name because last season his production did take a little bit of a dip having 40 catches, 440 yards, and three touchdowns. As you can see his numbers have trended downwards and his health has gone with them, but he is still a smart receiver with impressive speed for his age that would be able to pick up the concept of New England's offense faster than others. The Patriots have adapted elements of both Chip Kelly's and Andy Reid's offensive schemes into their own, and Maclin played for both so adapting to what the Patriots do should be no problem. Maclin's poor production in 2017 could also be attributed to playing with Joe Flacco, who was one of the league's worst quarterbacks last season. His numbers would likely improve with a quarterback upgrade from Flacco to Brady especially as a deep threat if Dez does not end up signing here. Having that fresh start with the Patriots could be exactly what Maclin needs and having someone like Brady throw him the deep ball can certainly boost his stats and get him somewhat close to what he once was. Signing Maclin is the definition of a low risk, high reward move that the Patriots seem to always like to do with at least one person in the off-season.