The New England Patriots are now in the second year of a massive rebuild, which began with a brilliant 2025 offseason. Head coach Mike Vrabel ushered out more than half of that roster, and more could be on the way out in 2026. For those who remain, the competition for roster spots will be fierce. Vrabel plays the players who give him the best chance to win. If you don't give him that chance, you're out.
One position that gets a lot of attention in Foxborough is the wide receiver position. That will always be the case when you have one of the NFL's best young passers in Drake Maye.
Any team with a quarterback of Maye's caliber should prioritize two things every offseason. The first is to have a top-flight offensive line to protect him. The second is to surround him with the best skill position group possible, starting at wide receiver.
The Patriots may be on their way to doing just that. That will depend on whether they can close a trade with the Eagles for No. 1 receiver, A.J. Brown. If they do, they'll field a top wide receiver unit in 2026, and the competition for roster spots will be fierce.
Get ready for a battle royale for the Patriots' wide receiver spots
If the Patriots are successful in their pursuit of Brown, the No. 1 receiver issue will be solved for the foreseeable future. They'll finally have a true No. 1 not seen since Julian Edelman retired in 2020.
The No. 2 receiver is also clear. It's free agent signing Romeo Doubs, who would slot right behind Brown on the depth chart. Both will be upgrades over last year's top duo of Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte.
If Boutte makes it to Week 1 without getting traded, he'll compete with several receivers for two or three roster spots. The other competitors will be veteran Mack Hollins, second-year pro Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III, and potentially newcomer Kyle Dixon, who impressed at the team's rookie camp.
Hollins is a clutch receiver who adds size and a veteran panache to the receiver room. As a 2025 third-round draft pick, Williams also feels like a roster lock. Boutte and Douglas are closer to the bubble. Boutte had some spectacular catches in 2025, but he only had 33 of them overall. He did have six touchdown catches, though, and that should help keep him in the mix unless he gets traded.
Douglas saw his production plummet from 2024 to 2025. He slipped from 66 catches in 2024 to a mere 31 in 2025. Similar to Boutte, he may become trade bait, and the competition for the slot receiver position will come primarily from last year's breakout undrafted rookie Efton Chism III.
Chism is a sure-handed receiver who can make things happen after the catch. His role grew throughout the 2025 season and should continue to evolve this year both as a depth receiver and on special teams.
Dixon is a big target at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, but he's never played against any serious competition. The practice squad might be his place.
Those are the Patriots' top candidates at wide receiver right now. It will be a stiff competition to make the team at that position, and that's a good thing. That will only benefit Maye and the Patriots' offense.
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