The New England Patriots typically bring a ton of veteran wide receivers into training camp, and then let them battle it out for a roster spot. On Thursday, they brought another familiar name aboard.
The team announced the signing of former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Michael Jenkins. Details of the contract were not made public.
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Jenkins caught 40 passes last season and has averaged 40 per year over the last three seasons as the ultimate possession receiver for the Vikings and Atlanta Falcons.
We say "ultimate" in the sense that Jenkins can't break big plays anymore, not in the sense that he's one of the best possession receivers in football. (Like, say, Wes Welker.) A former first-round draft pick, Jenkins is nearing the end of the line for his career.
Jenkins has a chance to make the Patriots' roster because they are thin at wide receiver, with Danny Amendola and Donald Jones currently atop the depth chart. We'd expect the Patriots to keep adding veterans and potentially a rookie or two in April.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.