Kyle Williams entered this season with a real opening in front of him, and a month in, he has done almost nothing with it.
The New England Patriots had reasons to believe the second-year receiver could take a step forward. He flashed as a rookie, hitting on big plays like a 72-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10, a 33-yard touchdown catch against the New York Giants in Week 13, and a two-catch, 46-yard, one-touchdown outing against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16.
He also looked terrific in preseason. None of that has carried over once the games started counting.
Through four weeks, Williams has just two receptions on seven targets for 44 yards. His role has been tiny, too, as he has been on the field for only 24% of his snaps. Last season, that number was 31%.
That lack of production stands out even more because the Patriots have had plenty of reasons to lean on him. They traded Kayshon Boutte, A.J.
Brown was injured on opening night and placed on IR, Romeo Doubs has been wildly inconsistent and had an awful debut with the team, and Mack Hollins - who has been Drake Maye's favorite target so far this season - left Week 4 early with a calf injury. New England suddenly needs receiver help, but Williams still hasn’t forced his way into the picture.
It may be even more troubling that Efton Chism III appears to have moved ahead of him after his Week 4 performance. Chism was an undrafted free agent in the same draft where Williams went in the third round, which only sharpens the contrast.
Williams doesn’t need to be a No. 2 or No. 3 receiver for this offense right now. But at the moment, he doesn’t look like a reliable No. 4 or No. 5 either, and that’s a real issue for the Patriots.
The path ahead is still open in some ways. Brown should return at some point, maybe even as soon as Week 6.
Hollins should be back, too. Doubs is coming off a six-catch, 58-yard, two-touchdown performance, so maybe he’s starting to settle in.
Chism has momentum, and he isn’t going to cut into DeMario Douglas’ snaps or targets.
Williams is still only turning 24 in November, so this isn’t the time to write him off completely. But the expectations were real coming into the year, especially for the Baltimore native, and he has not come close to meeting them.
He has had chances. He just hasn’t done anything with them.
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Williams brings eight NFL seasons of experience and a resume that includes a strong 2022 campaign with the Detroit Lions, which makes him the kind of established option teams often check on when they want insurance at running back. The Patriots have not signed him yet, but they have kept roster spots open for exactly this kind of addition, leaving the door open as they weigh whether a veteran presence fits their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Are Getting Early Proof They Made The Right WR Call
The Patriots spent the offseason reshaping their wide receiver room, bringing in A.J. Brown in a trade and signing Romeo Doubs while moving on from Stefon Diggs and dealing Kayshon Boutte. It was the kind of aggressive reset that can look smart on paper and awkward on the field early, especially after Brown landed on injured reserve and Doubs had a rough start before finding his footing over the last few games.
Romeo Doubs recent improvement has given New England at least a little early validation for how it handled the position, even if the full picture is still developing. Across the league, former Patriots target Michael Pittman Jr. has not exactly stormed out of the gate after being traded to the Steelers, with his production lagging behind the expectations that came with his extension, and that contrast only sharpens how much these receiver decisions matter for a team trying to get the room right. [Read more 🡒]