The most attention in the 2026 New England Patriots' offseason has centered around their long-rumored and now completed blockbuster trade for A.J. Brown - and justifiably so. Brown is a bona fide No. 1 NFL wideout for whom 1000-yard receiving seasons are routine.
But another addition, free agent Romeo Doubs, will step right into the No. 2 receiver slot. Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox ranks Doubs sky high on the list of the NFL's most underrated receivers at No. 3.
Knox's evaluation should be music to Patriot Nation's ears. The big wide receiver's 2025 season would have ranked second on the Patriots in 2025 in both catches and receiving yards. He also would have been tied for second in touchdowns on the team with Kayshon Boutte behind Hunter Henry.
He's been under the radar with all the commotion over Brown and will be a solid addition to Drake Maye and his 2026 offense.
Romeo Doubs is an upgrade at the No. 2 receiver position
The Patriots released their top 2025 receiver Stefon Diggs and his 85 catches and 1013 yards after the season. They needed to replace that production and did so with the Brown trade. Yet, the team still needed to upgrade the No. 2 receiver position, and Doubs fits the bill to a Tee.
Knox elaborates on why he thinks Doubs is way underrated.
"New England's addition of Romeo Doubs in free agency shouldn't be discounted...His combination of size (6'2", 204 lbs), precise route-running, and silky smooth footwork has made Doubs a receiver who just seems to find holes in the secondary.
This past season, Doubs caught 55 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns. He also provided a passer rating of 110.1 when targeted. He's provided a passer rating of at least 97.0 in all four of his Packers seasons while averaging more than 600 yards per campaign. There's no doubt that Brown will play a big role in Maye's ongoing development, but Doubs may prove to be just as valuable to the young QB's growth."
Acquiring both Brown and Doubs has stacked the Patriots' wide receiver room, leaving speculation that one or more of the team's 2025 unit could be trade bait. The name mentioned most often is Kayshon Boutte, the presumptive No. 2 receiver in 2025.
Boutte only had 33 catches for 551 yards in 2025, but he made them count with six touchdowns and 27 first-down receptions.
The team expects Doubs to easily outpace Boutte's 2025 production, making him and/or another veteran, Pop Douglas, expendable. Both could fetch solid compensation in a trade. This could be very helpful, since the Patriots need help at tight end, the edge, and at guard, positions that need reinforcement if they are to make another run at the NFL title.
The Patriots upgraded their No. 2 receiver position with the versatile Doubs and have also opened up an opportunity to bolster another position or two by trading one or both of Boutte or Douglas.
They should be aggressive in doing so, since the edge and tight end positions, in particular, are woefully undermanned. Doubs is a solid, indeed underrated, addition to the Patriots, and he may just solve more than one issue for the team if they trade a 2025 incumbent or two to reinforce other positions.
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