FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. WR logjam: Would the Patriots keep seven wide receivers on their 53-man roster?
With the first practice of training camp scheduled for July 25, the next month provides a springboard to examine some of the team’s most compelling questions. How the logjam at receiver shakes out is near the top of the list.
Patriots Hall of Famer Troy Brown, who spent his 15-year career with the franchise (1993-2007) and later went on to become an assistant coach with the team, said it is the top position he’ll be watching this summer.
Headlined by trade acquisition A.J. Brown and $17-million-a-year free agent signing Romeo Doubs, the Patriots also have Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, DeMario “Pop” Douglas and Efton Chism III atop the depth chart.
“Seven is a nice number when all the guys can play. When you have a room like that, most of the good ones know when they come in for training camp they have to turn it up. So, it could create a whole another beast in that room,” Brown said.
The last time the Patriots could say something like that might have been Brown’s final season in 2007 when the receiver room featured Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Jabar Gaffney, Donte’ Stallworth, Kelley Washington, Chad Jackson and Brown.
Teams usually keep five or six receivers on the initial 53-man roster, although seven isn’t totally out of the question. An unexpected injury could always thin the ranks before the 2026 season opens Sept. 9 in Seattle, and a possible Boutte trade has been rumored.
From his playing experience in New England, and most recently his coaching career with the Patriots (2019-2024) and Giants (2025), Brown sees the numbers crunch as a positive from a mentality standpoint.
“It’s the mindset, ‘I can’t afford to not make this play. I can’t afford not to know what to do. I can’t afford to miss that block or not be a special teams player.’ Because that could be the difference to me being here, or not being here,” he said.
“The intensity of the competition in the room, it’s going to make that group better players at the end of camp, and you’re giving Drake Maye -- who I think is a very, very good quarterback -- an opportunity to spread the ball around to good players.”
Acquiring A.J. Brown in a trade June 1 should have a trickle-down effect throughout the roster.
“What great players do is they bring other players along with them,” Troy Brown said, citing his knack for making big plays even when he isn’t open and his off-the-field presence. “Let’s see how many of these guys he can bring along with him with the way he practices, the way he plays, and the passion he has for the game.
“For Drake, it’s a guy he can have confidence throwing to, which means a lot to a quarterback. And they have a chance to build on that chemistry together more than just one year. They could keep going together for the next 4-5 years.”
Veteran safety Kevin Byard said he could already see the Maye-Brown connection developing in early June practices. Brown’s presence was also evident in how he began his Patriots tenure as the last receiver to go through drills -- something he said was important to him because he wanted to earn teammates’ respect -- before finishing mandatory minicamp as the first receiver in drills and leading the stretch line.
Meanwhile, there were times in practice when Brown (6-1, 226) and Hollins (6-4, 221) would work together on the side, which is something that piqued Troy Brown’s interest as it relates to coordinator Josh McDaniels’ scheming. He calls Hollins a “lunch pail guy” who brings “toughness, emotion and can make the big play when you need it.”
“Put them on the field at the same time and ‘is it run or is it pass?’ Sometimes you get on a team and they don’t have those options, you see who’s there and you can say, ‘They’re throwing the ball on this play. This guy isn’t blocking anyone.’ Now with A.J. and Mack, run-action could be huge for them. And Josh is one of the best at creating those run-action passes, so he should be able to create a lot of things with them.”
In Doubs (6-2, 210), Brown sees a different dynamic.
“He’s not a flashy guy, but he’ll keep the sticks moving and make some possession plays for you, and he can take the top off [the defense] when he needs to,” he said, crediting the Packers for developing him after selecting him in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. “He doesn’t have to play that No. 1 position and I think that will help him out a lot; having A.J. Brown out there with him, it takes a lot of pressure off him.”
Likewise, Brown noted similar growth from Boutte (2023 sixth-round pick) and how he could benefit from advantageous matchups with the defense focusing more on A.J. Brown.
Then there’s Williams (5-11, 190), the 2025 third-round pick from Washington State.
“Speedster. He can run by anyone and in a thick room, that’s a good asset to have. And he can track the ball down the field. He put that on film last year - ‘when I’m in the game, you have to protect the deep part of the field,’” Brown said.
“But if he wants to be on the field more, he has to be able to run intermediate routes and create separation that way on a consistent basis.”
Brown sees Douglas (5-8, 185) and Chism (5-10,198) as more slot-based options. Douglas’ ability to “make the first guy miss and turn it into a positive play” brings value to the offense, while Chism “has shown that he’s growing” by “making some plays when he got his opportunity.”
Brown, who ranks third on the franchise receptions list, draws a parallel to A.J. Brown’s arrival and when Moss was acquired in a trade in 2007.
He sees Brown having a chance to play a similar role as Moss that year, fueled by playing in McDaniels’ pass-friendly offense, with a top quarterback in Maye, and being energized by the challenge.
“I’m excited for him to be here, and watching what they can put on the field,” he said. “I want to see the receivers take shape in training camp. I have a feeling it’s going to be at a whole another level from what it was last year.”
2. Rookie wrap: Patriots rookies officially concluded their offseason/developmental program Friday by taking part in a youth football clinic in Newton. The week included a team-bonding trip to a Red Sox game at Fenway Park and a visit to owner Robert Kraft’s Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, among other things.
3. To-do list: With rookies departing, and most veterans set to return July 24, this is officially the quietest time on the Patriots’ calendar all year. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few important items on the “to-do” list. It starts with signing second-round pick Gabe Jacas, and continuing to discuss an extension with cornerback Christian Gonzalez.
4. Hoyer’s top QBs: How high is former NFL quarterback Brian Hoyer on Maye?
In his work as a co-host on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Hoyer shared his current top five quarterbacks based on past production, dynamics of the current situation to bring out the best in them, and ownership of the offense.
“The reason I go with Drake second is not only what he did last year, but what I’m hearing coming out of Patriots camp right now,” Hoyer said. “A.J. Brown was talking about Drake taking over the meeting room. I was in a room with a guy who did that every day -- Tom Brady -- and when a quarterback takes ownership like that it can take it to the next level.”
5. Gillette shines: The stadium is receiving some rave reviews as a World Cup host. A New York Times/Athletic poll of the 16 U.S. sites rated it fourth best. The ratings were based on match day experience, match atmosphere, transport and location, aesthetics and suitability for soccer/football.
6. Troy’s take: Troy Brown turns 55 on July 2, is one of a small group of Patriots Hall of Famers who still call New England home, and last week he reflected on his football journey by saying, “As a country boy from Blackville, South Carolina, I’m thankful for everything I have and been able to do.”
Brown said he still has the itch to be in the game and is considering his next career steps, while also enjoying time with his family that he wouldn’t have had otherwise.
7. Did You Know: The last time the teams that played in the previous Super Bowl both reached the conference championship was 1993, when the Cowboys and Bills played in two straight Super Bowls.
