The Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard would take a different path than most when it came to addressing the New England Patriots' need for a No. 1 wide receiver. For most of the fans in New England, the answer is simply waiting to trade for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown after June 1.

However, Bedard suggested that the team forgets about Brown and selects Washington's Denzel Boston in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, if he's still on the board. There have been questions regarding Brown's knees, and there is no certainty that New England would be getting the best version of the former three-time All-Pro wideout. "If I were the Patriots, and if I was in charge of the Patriots, I would much rather draft Denzel Boston at 31, than to go and get A.J.

Brown," Bedard said on the Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast. "Because I think there's upside, you have the years, medical checks out, like all that stuff. ...If Denzel Boston's on the board at 31, then take him and forget about A.J. Brown.

That's what I'm hoping."Boston has electric playmaking ability and a high ceiling. He is coming off a 2025 season that saw him tally 62 catches for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns. The wideout is certainly an intriguing draft prospect, but Brown is the more proven player at the NFL level.

Should the Patriots take a chance on the 28-year-old veteran, or should they take another swing at a young receiver and hope it works out this time? There's an argument to be made for both sides. Follow Patriots Wire on Twitter and Facebook.This article originally appeared on Patriots Wire: Patriots insider wants team to avoid A.J. Brown, draft this rookie WR