What does it mean to have a No. 1 wide receiver for the New England Patriots? Well, according to their recent moves, it's not exactly essential.
In 2025, the Patriots boasted a top-tier receiver in Stefon Diggs. Yet, on March 11, they made the surprising decision to release him. This leaves Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins to lead the charge, neither of whom can quite match the yardage Diggs left behind.
Eliot Wolf, the Patriots' executive vice president of player personnel, shared some insights with WEEI’s Tom Carroll. He suggested that having a true No. 1 wide receiver isn’t crucial to winning.
“How many of them are there in the NFL?” Wolf pondered.
“Maybe half the teams have one. So I don’t know if that’s a prerequisite for being a good football team.
In my experience, it hasn’t been. I think as long as you have a lot of good players and diverse skill sets, like we have, then that stuff kind of takes care of itself.”
Diggs’ presence in 2025 was transformative for New England’s passing game, propelling them from the bottom of the league in passing yards in 2024 to a remarkable fourth place in 2025.
As the Patriots move forward, they’ve added Romeo Doubs from free agency, who logged a career-high 724 receiving yards with the Packers last year. However, they missed out on potential targets like Alec Pierce and Mike Evans, who signed with the Colts and 49ers, respectively.
The Patriots are banking on a collective effort and diverse skill sets to fill the void, rather than relying on one standout receiver. It’s a bold strategy, but one that aligns with their broader team philosophy.