FOXBORO, Mass. — After a forgettable 2022 season, the New England Patriots made some notable alterations to their skill-position groups.
In the opening days of NFL free agency, they swapped out top receiver Jakobi Meyers for JuJu Smith-Schuster, underperforming tight end Jonnu Smith for Mike Gesicki and talented but injury-prone running back Damien Harris for James Robinson.
Smith-Schuster lacks Meyers’ durability and connection with quarterback Mac Jones, but he brings greater run-after-catch potential and has been the more productive pass-catcher in his career. Gesicki won’t offer much as a blocker but is just a year removed from a 73-catch season.