The Patriots’ 2025 wide receiver room features some established players, including free agents Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, as well as the team’s best receiver from 2024, Demario Douglas. The other spots are all up for grabs, and the competition will be fierce to make the 53-man roster.
This season’s offense will be a back-to-the-future type with Josh McDaniels back as Offensive Coordinator. He won’t have his fail-safe option in quarterback Tom Brady to rely on, but second-year man Drake Maye is poised for a breakout 2025.
McDaniels’ offenses always prioritized two positions as pass catchers above all others (unless they had a Randy Moss on hand). They were the tight ends and the slot receivers. Douglas is the presumptive favorite to take the slot position in 2025, although he’ll have solid competition from unheralded rookie Efton Chism III.
Demario Douglas looks to replicate some of the Patriots’ top slot receivers’ performances
McDaniels’ offense looks to the slot not only as an outlet but as a main cog in the whole offense. Douglas will be looking to improve upon his 2024 performance, and he’ll have ample opportunity under McDaniels. That’s a sound goal, and he has several top role models to look to.
In an article on Pats Pulpit, Bernd Buchmasser cited Patriots receiver Demario Douglas as a slot receiver trying to step into some huge footprints from the past.
“While the league has naturally continued to evolve over the last 18 years, one of the lasting impacts of the Patriots’ 2007 offense was the introduction of the slot receiver as a starer-level contributor. While the role had existed previously, coordinator Josh McDaniels made it a focal point in New England.
Through the years, its importance did not change leading to productive stints out of players such as Wes Welker, Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Jakobi Meyers (not all off them were pure slots, but they all still spent significant time inside the formation). The latest in that line of slot receivers? DeMario Douglas, or so he hopes.”
All of the others were solid, but one stands out. That’s Patriots Hall of Famer and hopefully also a Pro Football Hall of Famer, Julian Edelman. He personified the ultra-successful slot performer in a Josh McDaniels offense. If Douglas even approximates his success, he’ll be a major contributor to a Patriots’ playoff run in 2025.
The Patriots need Douglas to outperform his 2024 season this year
Douglas has 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.
While he’s a smaller receiver at 5’8″ and 192 pounds, Douglas can do what matters most – get open. This season, with improvement all over the offense, that will mean Drake Maye will find him and get him the ball. The rest will be up to him. While he’s neither blazingly fast nor too explosive, he’s reliable with solid hands and the ability to make plays.
It will be challenging for Douglas in 2025 to improve on his 2024 statistics significantly. He’ll have to contend with a lot more competition from Diggs, Hollins, rookie flash Kyle Williams, Chism, and some solid pass-catching backs. Yet, the possibility exists in McDaniels’ system that looks heavily to the slot to make plays.
Demario Douglas will be a solid piece of the new, dynamic offensive system Josh McDaniels will put in place in 2025. Expect Douglas and Chism to both get a lot of reps with the first unit. Both can catch the ball. The good news is that the slot is an integral component of McDaniels’ offense, and that will provide ample opportunities for both.
