Romeo Doubs is proving to be more than a sidekick for the Patriots

Long before the New England Patriots acquired A.J. Brown, they signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year, $68 million deal to potentially make him Stefon Diggs' replacement. That might not be top-dollar for a wideout, but it was certainly enough to put him ahead in the pecking order.

The former Green Bay Packers draft pick has spent his entire career sharing the spotlight. So even with Brown now in Foxborough, Doubs should still be productive.

However, it looks like Doubs is slowly but surely finding his stride in Josh McDaniels' offense. He made some big plays in joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles, and he might be much more than the Robin to A.J. Brown's Batman.

Romeo Doubs could put up WR1 numbers for the Patriots

Doubs may not have appreciated Brown's arrival as much as Patriots fans did. This was the perfect opportunity for him to prove that he could also be a team's go-to guy after being in Christian Watson's shadow in Green Bay.

If anything, he should focus on what he can control — his effort in practice. So far, so good for the fifth-year wideout, whose numbers show he might actually be criminally underrated.

For starters, Doubs has never finished a season with less than 42 receptions. He's scored at least three touchdowns every year, including seasons with eight and six scores. He also has three consecutive seasons with at least 600 receiving yards.

Those numbers might not jump off the page at first glance, but context matters. He was always stuck on a team that spread touches almost evenly among multiple pass catchers, and Packers head coach Matt LaFleur runs nearly identical run-pass splits in his offense.

Doubs stepped up when the Packers struggled with injuries. He worked on his hands after some drop issues held him back as a rookie, becoming Jordan Love's preferred target in crucial "move-the-chains" situations.

The Patriots traded for Brown to feed him early and often, and that's also what he signed up for. There's no doubt that he'll be the team's primary target in almost every situation, but Doubs should still have plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers with Drake Maye at the helm.

Brown spent four seasons with the Eagles, and DeVonta Smith reached 1,000 receiving yards in three of those seasons, with the lone exception being in 2024 when he missed four games with an injury.

Those numbers aren't off the table for Doubs, who now has an improved quarterback situation and should benefit from A.J. Brown drawing extra attention on every route.

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