The New England Patriots revamped their wide receiver room this offseason. Signing Romeo Doubs as Stefon Diggs' apparent replacement was a big step in the right direction, and doubling down on that by trading for A.J. Brown was the cherry on top of the sundae.
Then, they moved on from the disgruntled Kayshon Boutte in a somewhat underwhelming trade with the Houston Texans. Mike Vrabel admitted there wasn't room for him if everyone was healthy, and his contract situation made him the obvious odd man out.
However, that also says a lot about their feelings toward Kyle Williams. There's no way they would've traded Boutte if they hadn't been high on Williams, and he's playing with a huge chip on his shoulder to prove that the Patriots are much more than Brown and Doubs.
Kyle Williams has made a name for himself in the preseason
"You know, I knew I had to come and prove a point, and I'm still trying to prove that point," the Washington State product told WCVB's Angel Salcedo. "So my mindset just was a whole lot different than last year."
A former third-round pick, Williams didn't necessarily live up to his draft steal label as a rookie. He finished his first campaign with the team with 10 receptions for 290 yards and three receiving touchdowns.
He followed that quiet campaign with a stellar training camp, and he's been the lone bright spot in Josh McDaniels' offense in the preseason. He scored in all three games, logging six catches for 166 yards and three scores.
Williams also showcased his big-play potential in all of those matchups, logging receptions for 25, 69, and 45 yards. Granted, it was against vanilla defenses and third-stringers, but the point remains: He's much more than just a depth piece.
The Patriots had a somewhat unimpressive wide receiver corps for the first year of the Mike Vrabel era. Drake Maye still delivered with more than 30 passing touchdowns, over 4,300 passing yards, and a 72 percent completion percentage.
One can only wonder how those numbers will look after another full training camp to take ownership of the offense, and reports are encouraging. Also, with an improved offensive line and better weapons, the sky is the limit for the Patriots' passing game.
The Patriots won't make it easy on Williams. Brown is the undisputed alpha in town, and Romeo Doubs should also play a big role in the offense. As such, he knows he has to make the most of his limited opportunities to slowly but steadily carve himself a role and earn Maye's confidence.
So far, he's done all the right things to prove the Patriots right for letting Boutte go and making him the next man up.
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