The wide receiver competition is clearly the No. 1 battle to watch as Tom Brady searches for his new favorite targets. This seems like an “all hands on deck” year when the Patriots keep six receivers, plus a couple more on the practice squad. Who knows if the rookies can handle the rigors of a 16-game season, plus playoffs?
Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, and rookies Aaron Dobson and Josh Boyce are roster locks.
Undrafted rookie Kenbrell Thompkins, who might have the best speed on the field and has looked fantastic so far, is a clear favorite for the fifth spot. That leaves seven receivers, headlined by Matthew Slater, Kamar Aiken, and Michael Jenkins, battling for the sixth spot.
Thompkins measurables are fairly mediocre all the way around, but there is no doubt that he's been impressing in camp. The "best speed" comment is interesting because Dobson (4.42) and Boyce (4.38) ran much faster 40-yard dashes leading up to the draft. Thompkins is an interesting late-round pick given all the opportunity at receiver.
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