Two days after cutting one veteran wide receiver, the New England Patriots are adding another. The Patriots and former Indianapolis Colts wideout Dontrelle Inman agreed to terms Friday on a one-year contract, according to reports from NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss. Inman received offers from four teams, per Rapoport. Inman remained unsigned until mid-October last season, but he proved to be a reliable target for Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, catching 36 passes on 47 targets (76.6 percent) for 412 yards and four touchdowns in 11 games, including playoffs. In two postseason games, the 30-year-old caught all eight passes thrown his way for 108 yards and one score. Before joining the Colts, Inman previously spent time with the Chicago Bears and Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers. His best season to date came in 2016, when the Virginia product played in all 16 games for the Chargers and caught 58 passes for 810 yards and four touchdowns. Adding Inman, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 198 pounds, continues a trend of the Patriots targeting tall receivers this offseason. Of the seven new wideouts on their roster (i.e. ones added since Super Bowl LIII), six are 6-foot-2 or taller: first-round draft pick N’Keal Harry, free agent signees Demaryius Thomas, Maurice Harris and Inman, and undrafted free agents Jakobi Meyers and Xavier Ubosi. UDFA Ryan Davis (5-foot-9) is the lone exception. Bruce Ellington, who also is listed at 5-9, was released Wednesday.<doc-sep>Marcus Smart Says He Has Heard Racist Remarks From Celtics Fans: 'It's Sad And Sickening'Asked about Kyrie Irving's comments about Boston fans, Celtics guard Marcus Smart said that he is hoping that the Boston crowd will treat all players -- whether they're in a Celtics or a Nets uniform -- with respect. 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The latest pass catcher to make his way to Foxboro is veteran Dontrelle Inman, who signed a deal with the Patriots on Friday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network adds that Inman inked a one-year deal with New England after mulling four other offers. Inman first entered the league as an undrafted free agent out of Virginia. He had a cup of coffee with the Jaguars before heading up to the CFL and playing for the Toronto Argonauts for two seasons. In 2014, Inman broke back into the NFL inking a deal with the then San Diego Chargers. It was there where Inman had the most productive years of his career as the 6-foot-3, 205 pounder was abel to haul in 58 catches for 810 yards and four touchdowns in 2016. The 30-year old was traded to the Chicago Bears in the midst of the 2017 season, ending his tenure with the Chargers. Most recently, Inman was with the Indianapolis Colts for the 2018 campaign. Last season Inman played in just nine games and caught 28 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Inman now joins a Patriots receiver depth chart that currently consists of Julian Edelman, N'Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett, Braxton Berrios, Demaryius Thomas, Maurice Harris, Damoun Patterson, Jakobi Meyers, Ryan David and Xavier Ubosi. Inman is just the latest receiver that is a bit taller than the Patriots have historically brought in. Inman stands at 6-foot-3, which joins him with the likes of Demaryius Thomas, who is of the same size, first round pick in 6-foot-2, 228 pounder N'Keal Harry and 6-foo-3 Josh Gordon, who is currently suspended by the league. Clearly the Patriots are putting an emphasis on size and Inman is just the latest example of that new fixation by New England. For the sixth time in franchise history, the New England Patriots are Super Bowl champions! Take a second to sign up for our FREE Patriots newsletter! The Patriots did release veteran receiver Bruce Ellington earlier in the week, which opened up a spot on the 90-man roster, but there does seem to be some more roster maneuvering that needs to be done by Bill Belichick and company. Not only are the Patriots bringing in Inman, but they are also reportedly set to sign veteran tight end Ben Watson and former Broncos offensive tackle Jared Veldheer. Given those two additions coming to Foxboro as well, the Patriots need to create two more roster spots. That means that two players currently on the roster will need to be released to fit these newcomers in.<doc-sep>The New England Patriots have put an emphasis on tall wide receivers this offseason, and their newest addition Dontrelle Inman fits this mold. Inman is a 6-foot-3, 198 pound receiver that most recently played with the Indianapolis Colts. He will join a receiving corps that recently added N’Keal Harry and Demaryius Thomas to the mix. The Patriots added a total of seven wide receivers this offseason, and only one of them is shorter than 6 foot 2. This trend is even more clear now with the 5-9 Bruce Ellington swapped out for the 6-3 Dontrelle Inman. Of the seven new WRs on their roster, only UDFA Ryan Davis is shorter than 6-2. https://t.co/Eg7Fnclovh — Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) May 10, 2019 Inman has been in the NFL for five seasons and will provide a veteran presence within the locker room. Last season was a down year for him, after he recorded 28 receptions, 304 yards and three receiving touchdowns. His best season was in 2016, when he was able to haul in 58 catches, 810 yards and four touchdowns. The addition of Inman will add real experience to the roster, because of the surplus of younger players that haven’t seen much time on the field. The most experienced players currently on the roster include Julian Edelman, Thomas and Josh Gordon — but Gordon isn’t is a lock to play. The Patriots have three undrafted free agents and a total of six players that haven’t seen more than two years in the league. Colts head coach Frank Reich spent time with Inman in San Diego and in Indianapolis, and he had high praise for Inman’s contributions. “This guy is just a pro,” Reich said. “We knew getting him in the building that we would not only get production from him, but leadership. He has really provided that. I mean he is a really stabilizing, calming influence in the receiver room. This guy has been there, done that and has seen a lot of ball. He’s got a great perspective, a great work ethic and then is a really smart and savvy football player. His contribution has gotten more and more significant. Andrew’s trust in him and appreciation for what Dontrelle brings to the table is really fun to see and hear. I mean just to hear Andrew talk about how that trust has grown, really, now he is looking for Dontrelle. He is looking for Dontrelle and looking for reasons to throw the ball to Dontrelle. So that has been huge.” With Inman’s size, locker room presence and experience with top-tier quarterbacks, he should fit in immediately in New England.<doc-sep>
Two weeks after selecting N’Keal Harry in the first round of the draft, the Patriots continue to explore their options at wide receiver. Their latest addition is free agent Dontrelle Inman, who came on strong at the end of last season with the Colts. Inman agreed to a one-year deal with the Pats, a source confirmed. Inman is an intriguing add to a Patriots receivers unit that remains in flux. He was signed by Indianapolis midway through the 2018 season and emerged as a go-to target for Andrew Luck down the stretch, catching 17 passes on 19 targets for 231 yards and three touchdowns in the final four games (including playoffs). In the postseason, Inman served as the No. 2 receiver alongside T.Y. Hilton. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Inman enjoyed a career season with the Chargers in 2016, hauling in 58 passes for 810 yards. He lacks game-breaking speed and athleticism, but is a polished route-runner with ideal size. “This guy is just a pro,” Colts coach Frank Reich said last season. “We knew getting him in the building that we would not only get production from him, but leadership. He has really provided that. I mean he is a really stabilizing, calming influence in the receiver room. This guy has been there, done that and has seen a lot of ball. He’s got a great perspective, a great work ethic and then is a really smart and savvy football player.” Inman expressed interest in returning to the Colts, but the club added free agent Devin Funchess and drafted Ohio State’s Parris Campbell in the second round. He lands in a nice spot in New England, where there should be opportunity to carve out a sizable role. Julian Edelman and Harry are locks to make the roster. Phillip Dorsett, who re-signed on a one-year deal earlier this offseason, will likely be on the team, too. Josh Gordon remains an unknown, as he’s indefinitely suspended by the NFL. Demaryius Thomas will be seven months removed from an Achilles tear when training camp opens. Inman is likely battling with second-year pro Braxton Berrios (a slot receiver), free agent signee Maurice Harris, and a trio of undrafted rookies — Xavier Ubosi, Jakobi Meyers and Ryan Davis — for a job. If Gordon and Thomas are both sidelined to start the season, it’s possible the Patriots keep two players from the latter group. The Patriots will be Inman’s fourth team in the past three seasons. After going undrafted in 2011, Inman began his professional career in the CFL. He signed a futures contract with the Chargers in 2014 and has stuck in the league ever since. “If you want one quality for a player, you want them to have dependability,” Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers told reporters in 2016. “Dontrelle is a good player. He makes plays, runs good routes, (but) the main thing is he is dependable. You can count on him to run the right route, to play any position (and) to do his job every day. That is what we thought we were getting when we got him from Canada. (Former offensive coordinator) Frank (Reich) had talked to the coach he played for in Canada and he said, ‘If I had 41, or however big their roster is, Dontrelles, I would have a heck of a team.’”