The Patriots’ offseason makeover has pushed Romeo Doubs into the background, but that might not last long.
New England brought in A.J. Brown to be Drake Maye’s top target, and Brown has already become the loudest name in the receiver room.
Kayshon Boutte has also drawn attention with a strong start to training camp and trade chatter swirling around him. In the middle of all that noise, Doubs has barely registered - even though he may end up mattering just as much to how the passing game functions in 2026.
That’s because Doubs fills a different kind of role. Brown is the headline piece.
Doubs is the connector. The Patriots are leaning on his route-running and his experience, especially with the rest of the receiver group largely locked into defined jobs.
Kyle Williams is the lone second-year player with some added speed and versatility, while DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, and Efton Chism all appear to have more fixed lanes. Doubs is the one who can move around and create problems, particularly with Brown drawing so much attention on the outside.
His offseason hasn’t exactly been loud, and that has left a little room for concern. Still, Doubs has said the right things and, more importantly, has started backing it up on the field.
"Obviously it's a grind and everything,” Doubs said. “I think the process has been really good.
I love where I am. I love where our team is.
I love the intensity of camp practices, things of that nature. Things are going really good.
"I'm really comfortable,” he added. “Just picking the OC's brain, Drake's brain, just being around the other guys in this room who have been in this offense.”
There have been a few missed practices because of an excused personal reason, but when Doubs has been out there lately, the trend has been encouraging. On Aug.
1, Greg Bedard of Boston Sports Journal pointed to a strong day that included completions from Maye on a deep in-cut, a seam route and a crossing route. Doubs also dropped a fumble that day, though Bedard still included him among the practice “ups.”
He was back after a two-day absence for the Patriots’ intrasquad scrimmage on Aug. 7 and caught a touchdown from Maye.
Maye has noticed the progress, too.
“I think Romeo has done a great job coming in here and learning the offense,” Maye said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “He hasn’t been in an offense like this that has some decision-making [for receivers].
I think he’s getting better and better as he’s gotten through OTAs and even in camp. He’s making some great plays for us.
He’s kind of shifty and has a little wiggle to him that I didn’t really expect throwing to him in camp.”
Doubs still hasn’t taken over the way some expected, and he hasn’t gotten as many first-team slot reps as projected because Douglas has been too productive to pull off the field. But the Patriots don’t need him to be finished yet. They just need him trending in the right direction, and that part is starting to happen.
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