Wide Receivers: A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III, Jeremiah Webb, Nick DeGennaro (rookie), Kyle Dixon (rookie), Cameron Dorner (rookie), Jimmy Kibble (rookie)
After making two major additions this offseason, the Patriots enter training camp with one of the deepest wide receiver rooms New England has had in recent memory.
New England trading a future first-round draft pick for star WR A.J. Brown and signing free-agent wideout Romeo Doubs gives it the top-end talent it's been missing at the position. With their young franchise quarterback proving in his second season that he's worth building around, the Patriots have given QB Drake Maye a playoff-caliber supporting cast as they maximize having Maye on his rookie contract.
The Patriots new wide receiver duo fits well together, with Brown primarily featured as an outside (X) receiver. During the spring, Brown repped mostly on the outside, where he was developing chemistry with Maye on fades (back shoulder), hitches, and slants while running a vertical route tree. There's still the intriguing possibility of moving Brown around the formation, helping the 29-year-old to age more gracefully by hunting favorable matchups for him inside the formation, but his primary role will likely be on the outside.
As the Patriots projected top inside receiver, Doubs profiles more like a high-volume "big" slot in a similar role to New England's leading receiver a year ago, Stefon Diggs. The Pats moved on from Diggs after he led the AFC champs in targets (102), receptions (85), and receiving yards (1,013) last season.
Given that it's currently a two-for-one swap, replacing Diggs's raw production shouldn't be a major issue. However, it'll be difficult to replicate Diggs's efficiency. Last season, Diggs caught a league-best 83.3% of his targets and ranked eighth among wideouts in yards per route run (2.41, min. 50 routes). The Brown-Doubs tandem has a chance to be more explosive and has a longer runway to produce than the 32-year-old Diggs. Still, head coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged that it'll be difficult for the passing offense to be as efficient as it was a year ago, when the Patriots led the league in EPA per drop-back (+0.308).
Along with having a smooth transition from their former No. 1 receiver to the Browns-Doubs duo, adding two starting-caliber receivers into the mix could have a trickle-down effect on the rest of the wide receiver room. Mainly, fourth-year WR Kayshon Boutte would likely take on more of a supporting role. Boutte and Brown are both outside (X) receivers who use sturdy frames, body positioning, and great hands to haul in passes. Not only do they have positional overlap, but they also have overlapping skill sets in the offense.
In 2025, Boutte finished with 33 catches for 551 yards and six touchdowns. His yards per catch average, 16.7, ranked fifth in the NFL as Maye's go-to deep threat on the outside. Boutte has improved in each season to become a legitimate top-three option, but he didn't attend voluntary OTAs and was limited in mandatory minicamp, possibly because of the uncertainty around his role in the Patriots offense.
Theoretically, Brown and Boutte could coexist by having one run more routes from inside the formation. As we mentioned with Brown, it might behoove him to work more from the slot at this stage of his career, where he'd be a mismatch between the numbers. Boutte also played more as a flanker in college, but the 24-year-old noted that he's had to reinvent himself due to a serious ankle injury at LSU.
Although OC Josh McDaniels could get creative with a top-three of Brown, Doubs, and Boutte, it's hard to envision Boutte playing 67.4% of the offensive snaps as he did in 2025. With the 2023 sixth-rounder entering the final year of his rookie contract, the dip in his projected target share could speak to why Boutte has been in trade rumors as he tries to maximize his value to cash in on his second contract.
Along with having Boutte on the current 90-man roster, the Patriots also have second-year WR Kyle Williams and versatile wideout Mack Hollins as depth behind Brown and Doubs. With Hollins continuing to play his versatile role as a movable blocker and big-bodied receiver, Williams could step into a larger role.
As the 69th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the hope is that the speedy Williams is in store for a year-two leap after posting 10 catches for 209 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie. Williams flashed his field-stretching ability in small doses last season when he caught a 72-yard touchdown vs. the Bucs and a 37-yard TD to spark New England's fourth-quarter comeback against the Ravens. However, the 23-year-old struggled at times to convert his routes properly and get on the same page as Maye in his rookie campaign.
Williams, who played 30.7% of the offensive snaps in his first season, could be Brown's primary backup. He brings a dynamic play speed element that would complement Brown and Doubs well. Although there's obvious excitement for the Pats new wide receiver duo, neither Brown nor Doubs is considered a burner. Adding a true field-stretcher into the mix like Williams could round out the passing offense nicely.
Fourth-year pro DeMario Douglas is another option to get more speed on the field, profiling as a "speed" slot who can stretch the field from inside the formation. Douglas averaged a career-high 9.7 air yards per target and tied a career-best with four deep receptions last season. Although he's had some issues with shorter option routes and finding soft spots against zone coverage, Douglas is arguably the Patriots best pure separator.
The other candidate vying for a roster spot is second-year receiver Efton Chism III. The former undrafted rookie made New England's initial roster last summer as a prototypical McDaniels slot receiver, with some comparing the 24-year-old to former Patriots WR Danny Amendola. This spring, Chism was active while working primarily with the second unit. The Eastern Washington product will likely get another chance to carve out a role for himself after appearing in eight games in his first NFL season (three catches, 75 yards, TD).
In all, the Patriots currently have seven receivers competing for five or six roster spots. Plus, as we outlined with Boutte, there's also an ongoing battle for playing time among players who would be considered roster locks. We also didn't mention much about New England's four undrafted rookies and practice squad holdover Jeremiah Webb because the room is objectively too crowded to give them strong consideration.
Ultimately, it's a good problem for the Patriots to have too much talent at wide receiver. Still, a huge aspect of training camp this summer will be sorting out how to manage such a deep room.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
