For a team that rarely employs traditional No. 1 receivers, the New England Patriots have rostered some great wide receivers throughout their history. But who are the best Patriots receivers of all time?
We went under the hood and ranked the top five, along with five honorable mentions.
5 Best Patriots Receivers of All Time
Honorable mentions: Deion Branch, Irving Fryar, Gino Cappelletti, Terry Glenn, Danny Amendola
5) Randy Moss
Receiving yards: 3,904
Catches: 259
Receiving TDs: 50
Randy Moss only played three-plus seasons in New England, but that was enough for the Hall of Famer to post the fourth-most receiving touchdowns in Patriots history.
His 2007 campaign remains legendary, as Moss racked up 1,493 yards and a still-record 23 touchdowns while helping the Patriots toward an undefeated regular season.
Moss is the most talented receiver Tom Brady ever played with, and one of the greatest NFL wideouts ever.
Unfortunately, Moss didn’t win a Super Bowl during his time in New England.
4) Wes Welker
Receiving yards: 7,459
Catches: 672
Receiving TDs: 37
People seemingly forget just how good Wes Welker was.
The diminutive slot receiver eclipsed 1,100 yards in five of his six Patriots seasons, including three campaigns with over 1,300 yards. Welker also led the NFL in catches three times during his Patriots tenure. He’s the franchise leader in receptions and ranks third in receiving yards.
Like Moss, Welker failed to win a championship. He is also remembered for dropping a potential game-clinching pass late in Super Bowl XLVI, though some blame Brady for an imperfect throw. Regardless, the play is partly responsible for Welker not ranking higher on this list.
3) Troy Brown
Receiving yards: 6,366
Catches: 557
Receiving TDs: 31
Brady’s first favorite target, Troy Brown’s career took off once Brady and Bill Belichick arrived in Foxboro. He totaled just 137 catches for 1,827 yards from 1993-99, but the next seven seasons saw Brown amass 420 catches for 4,539 yards while winning three championships.
Brown also was a great punt returner, a decent part-time safety (three interceptions in 2004), and a trusted playoff performer. He’s one of the best all-around players in Patriots history.
2) Stanley Morgan
Receiving yards: 10,352
Catches: 534
Receiving TDs: 67
If this list were purely about stats, Stanley Morgan probably would rank No. 1.
He’s the Patriots’ all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdowns for a receiver. In fact, no other Patriots pass catcher has eclipsed 8,000 yards, let alone matching Morgan’s 10,352.
Morgan also ranks fourth in receptions, an impressive feat when you consider he played in the 1970s and 1980s when the game was much different.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Morgan is only missing a Super Bowl title on his résumé.
1) Julian Edelman
Receiving yards: 6,822
Catches: 620
Receiving TDs: 36
Julian Edelman might be a controversial pick for the No. 1 spot, but he deserves it.
Despite barely playing on offense during his first four seasons, Edelman still ranks highly on most Patriots receiving categories. He’s second in catches, fourth in yards, and seventh in touchdowns among receivers.
Like Brown, Edelman also was a great punt returner and sneaky-good on defense. Would you believe he played 27 defensive snaps in the 2011 AFC Championship Game? Well, he did, and he spent most of them covering Anquan Boldin.
However, Edelman’s postseason heroics are the real separators. He ranks third all-time in playoff catches and receiving yards, ranking behind Jerry Rice and Travis Kelce in both categories. Edelman won three championships and claimed the Super Bowl LIII MVP after toasting the Los Angeles Rams for 10 catches and 141 yards.
Is Edelman a Pro Football Hall of Famer? It’s debatable, and he shouldn’t get in before Welker — who probably won’t make it. Nevertheless, Edelman is the best Patriots receiver of all time.