The Patriots have come a long way since that 1-2 start, when their offense looked like the weakest unit in football. Now they’re sitting at 4-2 after ripping off three straight wins, and they’ve already handled business inside the division with victories over the Bills and the Jets.
Even with that surge, the receiver room is getting thinner by the week. New England was down two of its top wideouts against the Bears on Thursday night.
A.J. Brown came back on Sunday against the Jets, while Romeo Doubs joined Mack Hollins on IR after a shoulder injury on a 42-yard touchdown grab.
Brown’s return didn’t produce much, but the expectation is that he’ll settle back into form. After him, the Patriots need more from Pop Douglas, Efton Chism, and Kyle Williams.
There have been encouraging flashes from that group. Douglas has put together 11 catches for 151 yards and three touchdowns over the last two games.
Chism made the kind of play that sticks in a season, hauling in a spectacular touchdown to clinch the win over the Bills, then followed it with 57 yards on five receptions against the Raiders. Williams has also chipped in, catching three passes against Las Vegas for 91 yards and a touchdown, which was a career high.
Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon are part of the passing game too, but the broader picture is hard to ignore: the Patriots’ receiving talent is getting stretched. If Brown rebounds the way the team expects, that helps. It still might not be enough to stop New England from looking for another impact piece if the right name comes available.
One name that stands out is Brian Thomas Jr.
After a huge rookie year, Thomas looked like the next LSU receiver ready to become a star at the next level. He played all 17 games, caught 87 passes on 133 targets, and finished with nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns.
But things have gone sideways since then. With Liam Coen taking over as head coach, Thomas dipped in his second season, finishing with 707 yards and 2 touchdowns on 48 catches despite the Jaguars’ success.
This year has been even rougher. Through six games, Thomas has just nine catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. He had the first catchless game of his career in Week 5 against the Eagles, then didn’t play a single snap in the second half against Houston in Week 6 as Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers moved ahead of him.
That kind of slide has made him a legitimate trade candidate. Marvin Harrison Jr., another receiver from the 2024 draft class, was recently dealt for a second-round pick by a coaching staff that didn’t draft him, and Coen’s group could decide to take a similar path.
For New England, the appeal is obvious. If there’s a chance to land proven high-end talent at a reduced price, the Patriots should be aggressive, especially with their current injury situation.
The likely cost? Probably something in the neighborhood of what Harrison brought back: a second-round pick and a swap of later selections.
Jacksonville is in a better spot than Arizona, so the Jaguars may be less inclined to move Thomas, especially to an AFC team. But if the Patriots make the strongest offer, GM James Gladstone could be persuaded - even with the Jaguars having beaten New England by 29 points in Week 3.
Giving up future assets always comes with risk, and it would be a questionable move if the Patriots overpay after already making a swing for Brown and giving Doubs nearly $70 million. Still, Thomas is only 24, and the Patriots could control him for as long as two more years if they pick up his fifth-year option. There’s also the offseason to consider, with Mack Hollins and Pop Douglas both set to hit free agency.
Thomas would give New England a young, proven answer in that spot, potentially slotting into a receiver group that includes Brown, Doubs, Thomas, Chism, and Williams.
If the price is right - maybe a second-round pick - the Patriots should make the move. A 24-year-old receiver with a 1,200-yard season already on his résumé is the kind of piece that could change the look of Foxborough’s passing game.
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Jaylon Johnson Just Gave Bears Fans A Brutal Debate Again
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Johnsons production this season has been modest by his own standards, with 19 total tackles and one tackle for loss in seven games, and the moment only adds more fuel to the debate around his place in the Bears future. He is under a four-year, $76 million contract, so every missed tackle and every public critique lands with a little more weight now, especially with questions swirling about how Chicago will evaluate his role and any future contract talks. [Read more 🡒]