Where Do Patriots New WRs Fit in Offense?

In the meantime, O'Brien may test Reagor's speed and ability to add more motion into the offense, primarily at the snap. As a collegiate receiver, as well as on selected packages with Philadelphia and Minnesota, he has been utilized in the backfield, as well as in jet motion. Throughout his career, he has rushed for 83 yards through 18 carries. Though O'Brien had hoped that the oft-injured Thornton could be an effective weapon in this fashion, Reagor could prove to be a complementary piece in O'Brien's offense sooner rather than later. 

In fact, Patriots.com's Evan Lazar recently indicated that New England's Week 1 opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles -- ironically, Reagor's former team -- have had notable difficulty when defending against receiver screens, as well as motion in general. While it is overly-aggressive to believe that Reagor would get a look as soon as Week 1, the suggestion may provide a blueprint for the Pats vision for him in the future. 

To a lesser degree, the Pats may also look to Reagor as a reserve option in the return game. As a member of the Eagles, he averaged 21.3 yards-per-return (YPR), while yielding a mean of 9.2 YPR on punts in two seasons. Arguably his signature moment as a pro came during his rookie season when he returned a punt for a 73-yard touchdown against the Green Bay Packers in Week 13.

Unfortunately, both muffed punts and unsteady hands caused his production to sharply decline in Minnesota, dropping his YPR average to 6.4. With All Pro returner Marcus Jones firmly entrenched within New England's third phase plans, any contributions Reagor makes would be of the backup variety. Still, his breakaway speed should keep him in the conversation with fellow potential returners such as Kyle Dugger, Myles Bryand and rookie Ameer Speed. 

While Luther joins the Patriots with a thinner resume than that of his new teammate, his speed could also be an effective weapon for the Pats in their attempts to re-engage their offense. According to the Gardner-Webb University Athletics website, Luther's alma-mater, he caught 86 passes for 1,550 yards and 12 touchdowns in 20 games for the Bulldogs. His 18.0 yards-per-catch average is a school record for players with a minimum of 80 receptions. The 5-11, 198-pound receiver also posted a fleet-footed 4.4 40-yard time. In fact, New England was so impressed by his speed that they hosted him on a Top-30 visit at Gillette Stadium in the spring. He joined the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent following the draft, where he spent the entirety of training camp and the preseason. Like Reagor, Luther will also be a work-in-progress as a member of the Patriots.

Regardless of their present or future with the club, each of their respective arrivals signifies that the Patriots offense is prioritizing an infusion of both speed and electricity into their offense. Whether it be at the expense of the promising, yet questionably reliable, Thornton is still anyone's guess. One thing that cannot be denied is that coach Bill Belichick, O'Brien and the Patriots brain trust are leaving no stone unturned.