The New England Patriots' receiving corps was a major point of contention last season, but the one constant was DeMario Douglas.
Douglas is now preparing to enter his third season, and with the Patriots having improved the wide receiver room over the last several months, he is no longer slated to be Drake Maye's primary option.
However, much is still expected from Douglas, and Michael DeVito of Musket Fire has stated that Douglas must outperform last year's production in 2025.
"Douglas had a solid 2024 with 66 catches for 621 yards and three touchdowns. Those aren't standout numbers usually, but with the dismal offensive line providing little protection for the Patriots' quarterbacks in 2024, those were respectable totals. Expect better in 2025," DeVito wrote.
Here's the question, though: will Douglas get the same opportunities as he had in 2024? Its important to keep in mind that New England added Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams to the depth chart this offseason, and undrafted rookie Efton Chism III may jump on board, as well.
Plus, Kayshon Boutte will likely represent one of Maye's top targets too after a strong year last season, which means that Douglas probably won't be earning the 87 targets he had during his sophomore campaign.
Really, the key thing for Douglas is to be more efficient with his touches. He averaged just 9.4 yards per catch in 2024, and while much of that is by design on shorter routes, it would be nice if he could bump that number up a bit. He is definitely capable, as he logged 11.4 yards per reception in 2023.
Douglas is never going to be a star, but he is a sure-handed receiver who has already established a connection with Maye. It's definitely important for him to further develop in his third season.
