The New England Patriots were searching for more help for their offense, and they have found it. According to a report from Adam Schefter of ESPN, 36-year-old wide receiver Reggie Wayne has agreed to a one-year contract with the team that used to be his arch-rival during his tenure with the Indianapolis Colts.
Reggie Wayne and New England Patriots have reached agreement on a one-year deal, league source told ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 24, 2015
Wayne signing with the Patriots adds even more fuel to the Colts vs. Patriots rivalry, and will hurt quite a few Colts fans who viewed him as one of their favorite players.
New England is getting a big pickup that will help their offense in a big way. Tom Brady will miss the first four games of the 2015 season due to suspension from the “Deflategate” saga, but Jimmy Garoppolo has shown quite a bit of talent in his first two preseason games. Wayne’s presence will help him get used to the NFL even quicker.
Last season with the Colts, Wayne caught 64 passes for 779 yards and two touchdowns. He dealt with a couple nagging injuries that held him back a bit, but he has had a full offseason to get healthy and focused on joining a team for one more run at a potential Super Bowl appearance.
Needless to say, this signing makes the Patriots’ game against the Colts in Indianapolis even more intriguing. Wayne will be greeted with a mixture of boos and cheers, but this cannot be blamed on him. He wanted to return for one more season with the Colts, but Ryan Grigson and Jim Irsay decided to let him go and take Andre Johnson in free agency.
All of that being said, it will be interesting to see how much Wayne has left for one more season with the Patriots. He is certainly going to see quite a bit of time on-the-field and will be asked to play a fairly big role.
