The [New England Patriots](https://nesn.com/new-england-patriots) have had little luck when selecting wide receivers in the NFL Draft, and that is a generous assessment.
For that reason, fans and analysts alike are expecting the Patriots to make a hard push at the limited wide receiver free agency class when the new league year begins on March 11.
One player who has been increasingly linked to New England is former All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel.
Samuel will be playing his eighth season in the league, headlined by a 2021 year in which he accumulated a gargantuan 1,405 receiving yards for the San Francisco 49ers, fresh off a Super Bowl run.
He has coasted off this 1,400-yard season, signing two contracts since and earning a total of more than $82 million in his career.
The only problem is that he has only eclipsed 750 receiving yards in two other seasons in his career.
Even so, over the past four seasons, he has played for an average annual salary of $19 million.
At the age of 30, coming off a 727-yard season as the No. 1 option for the Washington Commanders with Terry McLaurin battling injury, the prospect of giving Samuel a $17 million deal does not move me.
He is a tenacious blocker with a lot of run-after-the-catch ability. In many ways, he represents exactly what New England needs in their free agent pass catchers with his willingness to go over the middle of the defense and make strong receptions.
But at that price, signing Samuel would hinder New England’s ability to make other impact signings.
Samuel would be a great addition, but at his projected price tag, I see very few ways the juice is worth the squeeze with the 2021 first-team All-Pro.