“It’s time to build a team,” Mike Vrabel said as training camp began this year. Seven months into his new role as the New England Patriots’ head coach, and he’s still reshaping a team that’s coming off back-to-back 4-13 seasons. From fresh coaching hires to bold draft decisions, Vrabel has made it clear: no one’s spot is safe. But now, as players grind under the sweltering Foxborough sun, his vision is finally coming into focus.
Right now, the Patriots’ WR room looks stacked. Stefon Diggs and DeMario “Pop” Douglas are seen as locks by many. Kendrick Bourne and Kayshon Boutte bring veteran savvy, while Kyle Williams and Mack Hollins fill specific niches. That leaves rookies like Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker scrambling for what might be a single roster spot. Will both of them make it through camp? Unlikely. Meanwhile, Mike Vrabel’s rookie QB Drake Maye is quickly developing chemistry with his top targets. But here’s the twist – it’s not Diggs who’s turning heads. So who is? DeMario “Pop” Douglas.
During a recent Patriots Daily x Patriots Beat crossover, analysts Taylor Kyles, Mike Kadlick, Brian Hines, and Alex Barth broke down Day 4 of training camp. Their verdict? So far, Pop Douglas has been the standout receiver, not Stefon Diggs.
Brian Hines kicked off the discussion: “Even going back to the spring, and then you put the first four days of training camp practices, I think Pop Douglass has been the guy in the wide receiver room so far, and he capped it off with a great day.” With a long touchdown grab, a deep cross from Maye, and even a contested catch over Marcus Jones, Douglas isn’t just impressing – he’s dominating. Is Douglas on track to become the next great slot receiver in Josh McDaniels’s offense? It sure looks that way.
It might’ve been the best practice Pop Douglas has had with the Patriots, and Taylor Kyles agreed. He praised Pop Douglas’ football IQ and his improved timing with Maye. “But he catches absolutely everything, and unlike last year, where you could tell that he and Drake May weren’t really on the same page, like I feel like one of the talking points was. It felt like Pop was doing well… Feels like he and Drake may have taken a pretty significant step in their ability to work together,” Kyles added. Is this the chemistry Patriots fans were waiting to see between their young QB and a reliable target?
Taylor Kyles did not hold back: “I know we want Stefon Diggs to probably be wide receiver one. But as I wrote in my notes right now, it’s popnuglas and it is not close.” That’s a brutal update for Diggs – and for Mike Vrabel, who’s expecting much more from his newly acquired star. After all, Diggs is heading into Year 1 of a restructured deal worth $22.5 million in 2025, with $15 million guaranteed. That’s not “rotational vet” money – it’s WR1 money. So what happens if Diggs isn’t playing like the top guy?
To be fair, Diggs still has plenty in the tank. Despite a knee injury cutting his 2024 season short, he was on pace for another 1,000-yard campaign—his seventh in a row. In eight games with the Texans, he posted 47 catches for 496 yards and three touchdowns. But now, he isn’t just expected to deliver numbers. Diggs is expected to lead a WR corps that ranked dead last in total yardage (1,723) last season. While Diggs continues to prove that he’s still ‘the guy’ for Mike Vrabel, other teams are watching the Patriots’ WR situation closely. And the Cleveland Browns might be ready to make a move.
Could the Browns swing a trade for a Patriots WR?
The Cleveland Browns are in desperate need of help at wide receiver. With limited options on the free-agent market and Keenan Allen unlikely to consider Cleveland at age 32, what realistic alternatives do they have? A reunion with Amari Cooper seems off the table. So, a trade could be the answer. Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder recently named several players who might benefit from a change of scenery, and among them was Patriots wideout Kayshon Boutte.
