The New England Patriots are heading into training camp next week with 12 wide receivers on the roster, and that number is only going to shrink before Week 1 in Seattle.
A few names already look lined up for spots, but the rest of the room is going to spend the summer fighting for whatever’s left. The big questions are pretty clear: does New England need to add anyone, how do the younger receivers fit, and who starts building chemistry with Drake Maye right away?
One of the biggest storylines centers on Romeo Doubs, who arrived in free agency after the Patriots essentially moved on from Stefon Diggs. At the time, Doubs looked like the clear No. 1 after New England committed $68 million to him over four years.
Then the Patriots made an even bigger swing, trading a first-round pick and more for A.J. Brown.
That instantly changed the pecking order, with Brown now stepping into the WR1 role before he’s played a snap in a Patriots uniform.
So where does that leave Doubs?
During spring practices, Doubs handled his business. He wasn’t a runaway star in the sessions open to the media, but he was working with the top offense and doing what was asked. Brown’s role, though, was obviously larger.
On paper, Brown’s arrival could cut into Doubs’ production. In practice, it might open things up.
If defenses are locked onto Brown outside the numbers, Doubs could end up seeing more 1-on-1 chances in the middle of the field. The Patriots have every reason to spread the ball around between their two big additions.
The slot picture is just as unsettled, and it’s the kind of role New England has long treated as a centerpiece. From Troy Brown and Wes Welker to Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola, the Patriots and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels have made inside production a staple.
This summer, though, the choice seems to be coming down to DeMario Douglas or Efton Chism III. Douglas has the more explosive skill set and the better upside, and it feels like he’s the favorite to win the job. The catch is that the Patriots haven’t always been eager to give him a heavy workload.
Chism has a different path. He can help on special teams, and last year he worked as the team’s top kick returner. That may be his best route to the roster again.
Both players have been used in a variety of offensive roles this spring, and both have also been back returning kicks. That competition could end up deciding the final roster spots when cut-down day arrives.
Right now, it looks like one of them will make it, and keeping both would require a strong summer from somebody. Douglas appears to have the edge.
There’s also the question of whether any of the undrafted rookies can force their way into the picture. Last summer, Chism did exactly that as an undrafted rookie, but that kind of rise doesn’t seem likely this year.
That isn’t because the Patriots lack interest in the group. They brought in four receivers with different skill sets - Kyle Dixon from Culver-Stockton, Cameron Dorner from North Texas, Nick DeGennaro from James Madison and Jimmy Kibble from Georgetown - and all of them look the part. But the room is crowded enough that there may not be much space for a rookie to break through.
If the depth chart ends up looking the way it currently projects - Brown, Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, Douglas and, depending on the trade block, Kayshon Boutte - then none of the rookies has much of a path.
Still, training camp has a way of changing the conversation, and the Patriots still have plenty of time before final decisions are made. Three preseason games are still ahead, and those will tell a lot about who can carve out a role and who might settle onto the practice squad.
In Other News...
Former Patriots WR Stefon Diggs Faces New Allegations Amid NFL Interest
Stefon Diggs remains on the radar of NFL teams even as his off-field legal fight continues to unfold. The former Patriots receiver has denied allegations from Christopher Griffith stemming from a May 2023 trip to Washington, D.C., and Diggs has responded by filing a defamation lawsuit, keeping the dispute active in court while his football future stays very much in play.
Newly filed court documents add another layer to the case, with Diggs seeking records tied to that trip and Griffiths side saying those materials are already in Diggs possession. Still, reports say at least five teams have checked in on the free agent, a reminder that for all the legal noise, clubs are at least doing their due diligence as they weigh whether to move forward. [Read more 🡒]
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Namdi Obiazor arrived in New England as a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and he has already started to make a case for himself during rookie camp and mandatory minicamp. For a Patriots roster that always seems to have room for players who can do a little of everything, that kind of early momentum matters, especially for someone trying to climb from draft pick to trusted depth piece.
Obiazors appeal goes beyond one position. He brought special teams experience from college and showed enough versatility there to keep himself in the conversation for a backup job and a role on kicking units, which is often the fastest path for late-round rookies to stick. The next step is turning that early buzz into something more concrete once the roster battles get real. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Fans Can Finally Dream On A Real Tight End Splash
The Patriots have spent enough time searching for a true difference-making tight end that any serious trade idea is bound to get attention, and this one at least has the kind of upside that would make the conversation worth having. The proposed framework around Arizona is built on the same basic logic that tends to drive these kinds of deals: New England would be chasing a player who can change the middle of the field, while the Cardinals would be weighing the value of draft capital, cap flexibility and a chance to reshape parts of their roster.
The appeal is obvious from the Patriots side because the tight end in question has already produced at an elite level, putting up a record-setting season that included 126 catches, 11 touchdowns and 1,239 yards. Still, this remains a hypothetical, not a completed move, and the real question is whether New England would be willing to pay the kind of price that could make Arizona listen, or whether this stays in the category of the splash fans can dream on for now. [Read more 🡒]