The Patriots' receiving corps was a hot topic throughout the offseason, as they had 12 players on the roster for much of training camp. It was the first time in many years that there was actual competition to make the team, with a few early risers looking like they would dominate on offense once the regular season began.
Among the most talked about was DeMario Douglas, who had an impressive performance all summer long, leading many to believe he could be a secret weapon for Drake Maye during a very telling second season. The connection between them was clear last year, and it looked like they were well on their way to building upon that going into this season.
But we have seen the complete opposite of that so far. In fact, Douglas' snap count continues to decrease every week, which has prompted a lot of conversation about Josh McDaniels appearing to phase him out of the game plan in favor of other players.
Despite that, which could be his fate, Douglas doesn't look to be defeated and has maintained a positive attitude so far this season.
Mike Vrabel's impact on the Patriots' morale is evident with DeMario Douglas' attitude despite limited usage
While speaking to MassLive after the Patriots' blowout Week 4 win, Douglas emphasized that he was happy to do whatever the Patriots asked of him, and if that meant not catching the football, then he was fine with that.
“Just to help do something to help get the W. I feel good. I didn’t even touch the ball, and I’m excited we got the W. I’m in a good state of mind. I’ve got my team behind my back, and they’ve got my back. We’re getting closer together, and we’re starting to play like it. It showed today.”
That is exactly the kind of attitude the Patriots need in the locker room and is indicative of the culture that Mike Vrabel is hoping to build after a few disastrous seasons in New England, with last year potentially being the worst for team morale.
Despite not making a reception, Douglas did have a memorable play, however, as he provided a key block on Hunter Henry's touchdown run, which wouldn't have happened without Douglas. That is something Vrabel pointed out unprompted to reporters when discussing the game, which signifies just how valuable the team considers him to be.
“Pop Douglas would have liked to have a couple extra catches today, but he also turned and blocked (as) Hunter Henry ran down the sidelines. Nobody’s going to say it unless I say it. So those are the things that matter, not the guy catching the touchdown. That’s the easy part. The hard part’s the guy that didn’t get the ball thrown to him that turns immediately and blocks his guy, and we score from the 25-yard line.”
"I only got in because of you." 👊@popshotta3 set the block for @Hunter_Henry84’s TD. pic.twitter.com/pmeEtna7iE
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 1, 2025
Continuing that kind of production for the offense, even if it means he doesn't show up on the stat sheet, will be crucial for Douglas the rest of the season. It would be great to see him more involved, since we know the kind of player that he can be, even with Maye.
But even if his input is diminished, if he can be productive in other ways, that's just as good as making a nice catch for a first down. We'll just have to wait and see what happens from here on out.