Jul 20th 2008 11:02AM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: PatriotsThe Patriots drafted wide receiver Bethel Johnson in the second round of the 2003 draft. Three years later, he had 39 career receptions and was looking for work. Johnson landed in Minnesota for the 2006 season, but is now out of the league.

That same year, the Patriots again used a second-round pick on a wideout, this time Chad Jackson. Jackson was drafted to replace Deion Branch, and to date, his career has been beset by injuries and inconsistencies. He has just 13 receptions in two seasons, but he’s only been active for 14 games over that time. And just like Johnson, Year 3 will determine whether he has a future in New England or elsewhere. Jackson has followed the career of the wide receiver drafted with the pick the Patriots traded (No. 52 overall) - along with a third-rounder - to get Jackson. That player is the Green Bay Packers’ Greg Jennings, who last season had 53 receptions for 920 yards and 12 touchdowns, which tied for second in the NFC behind the Dallas Cowboys’ Terrell Owens (15).

“Guys like Jennings, Santonio Holmes [of the Pittsburgh Steelers] was in my class and a couple of other guys. I feel like I can do the same thing,” said Jackson. “That’s why I got drafted as high as I did. Now I have to take advantage of the opportunity to show what I can really do.” Continue Reading