Dec 28, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas (3) makes a catch against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Patriots Looking to Get Speedy WR More Involved

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 21, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New England Patriots are trying to get more out of their wide receivers, specifically third-year pro DeMario Douglas.

Douglas, a sixth-round pick out of Liberty, had 115 catches for 1,182 yards during his first two seasons with the Patriots, but he hasn't continued that level of production in the early part of the 2025 season. Through two games, Douglas has three catches for six yards and a touchdown.

Patriots quarterback Drake Maye hopes to get Douglas more involved in the offense in future weeks.

“Pop has done such a great job since training camp, since the spring, learning the offense, being in different roles,” Maye said.

"It’s going to find him. I think sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way in the game plan some weeks, and you’ll get some bigger personnel and things like that to run the football.”

While he had seven targets in Week 1 against the Las Vegas Raiders, Douglas was only thrown the ball once in Week 2 when the team beat the Miami Dolphins on the road.

There are a lot of mouths to feed in the Patriots receiver room, including Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins and rookie Kyle Williams, but Douglas has the potential to be the No. 1 receiver in the offense. That should prompt Maye and the offense to find more plays for him.

Douglas is still seeking his first 100-yard game of his career, but it's hard for him to achieve that if Maye isn't feeding him the ball. With an emphasis to find him more often in the game plan for Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, there's a chance Douglas could have his best game of the season, if not his career.

Considering the fact that the Pats are playing the Steelers, a team that surrendered 31.5 points per game over the first two weeks, there is a chance Douglas and the New England offense could be in for a shootout. If that's the case, the Patriots need to get Douglas involved in order to increase their odds of winning.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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