Compared to last year’s wild, $364-plus million spending spree to kick off the Mike Vrabel era, it’s been a promising start to the 2026 league year for the New England Patriots. Teams in New England’s situation typically reset the books, especially coming off a run to the Super Bowl.
It’s been just the opposite for the Patriots, who, to the delight of the fanbase, had no interest in running it back with the same roster. They’ve absorbed some major losses like K’Lavon Chaisson, Khyiris Tonga, and Jaylinn Hawkins, but were aggressive in bringing in a new wave of potential impact starters, led by Dre’Mont Jones, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Romeo Doubs, and Kevin Byard.
By all accounts, the Patriots have had a solid start to the offseason. It would surge from good to great if the team could agree to terms on its rumored trade talks with the Philadelphia Eagles for wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Given GM Howie Roseman’s longtime strategy of baking void years and future dead money into player contracts, that deal makes the most sense from a cap perspective after June 1, but anything is possible with the 2026 NFL Draft just over a month away.
New England did address its wide receiver room with a major signing following the departure of Stefon Diggs. Doubs signed a four-year contract with $39 million in guarantees. In lieu of a trade, he projects as one of Maye’s top targets, filling the Diggs role.
In fact, Ex-Patriots cornerback Logan Ryan, now an analyst for CBS Sports, sees Doubs blossoming into a bigger weapon than most fans are expecting. The two-time Super Bowl champion doesn’t believe the Patriots need to trade major draft capital for Brown this offseason to have a true No. 1 wide receiver on their roster.
“I think Doubs is going to ascend into that No. 1 role because he’s a really good route-runner, he’s really crafty and he has really good hands,” Ryan said, via Karen Guregian of MassLive. “To get him at ($17 million) a year, and Alex Pierce is making $30 million, are you kidding me? That’s great value. I mean, Doubs is a plug-and-play starting No. 1 receiver for cheaper than what you paid Diggs last year.”
Logan Ryan believes Romeo Doubs can emerge as Patriots’ true No. 1 receiver
Diggs filled a unique role for the Patriots, perhaps most importantly as the team’s in-your-face, vocal leader on the sideline during games. In a perfect world, quarterback Drake Maye will assume some of those responsibilities. Diggs’ fiery, veteran presence allowed the 23-year-old Maye to do his talking on the field while earning his teammates’ trust in 2025.
Doubs definitely won't be pacing the sidelines, firing people up during games. That's not his style. But on the field, he should fit into Josh McDaniels’ offense like a glove.
He aligned mostly out wide during his four years in Green Bay (83 percent of his total snaps, per Pro Football Focus), but to Ryan’s point, he’s a route-running tactician who excels at all levels of the field. His career average depth of target of 12.1 yards is well within the WR1 range, and that should only improve working with one of the NFL’s most lethal deep-ball passers.
The Patriots’ vision for Doubs’ role will be a fun storyline to follow during training camp. Per team reporter Evan Lazar, he only ran 17.9 percent of his routes from the slot in 2025. That number is expected to rise, as Diggs aligned in the slot 53 percent of the time for the Patriots last year.
That shouldn't be an issue, as Doubs was a major problem for the Chicago Bears in last year's NFC wild-card playoff game. He caught five passes for 75 yards from the slot in that one, and the Patriots' personnel department likely noticed. His versatility and experience playing in the brutal weather at Lambeau Field make him well worth the investment.
New England has a strong perimeter wide receiver in Kayshon Boutte and a young prospect with intriguing potential in Kyle Williams. Does the team really need to trade valuable draft capital for Brown to get its offense over the hump?
Right now, the majority of Patriots fans wouldn’t hesitate to answer yes to that question. Those vibes could change, though, once Doubs gets on the field with Maye this summer.