The Patriots are hoping for big things from wide receiver DeMario Douglas and quarterback Drake Maye.
The Patriots are hoping for big things from wide receiver DeMario Douglas and quarterback Drake Maye.Greg M. Cooper/Associated Press
When it comes to slowing the Raiders’ pass rush on Sunday, the Patriots’ wide receivers want to do their part.
New England wide receivers coach Todd Downing explained that the offense is looking at the matchup with a simple approach: if the New England pass catchers can get separation early in their routes so Drake Maye can get rid of the football quickly, it’ll minimize the chances of someone such as Maxx Crosby creating havoc in the backfield.
“We talk about that a lot; it’s a race between us and the pass rush,” Downing said. “Sometimes you can fall in the trap of saying, ‘Well, I’ve just got to beat the man in front of me.’ Well, that’s all fine and dandy, but if the pass rush is getting home and you’re taking too long to get open, that’s not a good thing, you know?
“That’ll stay true whether it’s Maxx Crosby or T.J. Watt or any of the rest of them. We’ve got to be efficient.”
On Sunday, that means keeping Maye clear of Crosby (who had 22 sacks over the last two seasons) will not only fall to an offensive line that likely will start two rookies on the left side in tackle Will Campbell and guard Jared Wilson, but some of the quarterback’s favorite targets in the short and intermediate game.
With that in mind, one of the receivers who has a great chance at finding success against a group of depleted cornerbacks is slot receiver DeMario Douglas. The speedy 5-foot-8-inch, 192-pounder thrives in space, and when you consider offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’s successes with slot receivers, Sunday could be the start of a big year for Douglas.
“Yeah, it’s a really cool position in this scheme,” Downing said of the slot position under McDaniels, a group that has included Wes Welker and Julian Edelman. “It’s something that even for me [where] I’m learning the kind of tricks of the trade along the way. Picking Julian Edelman’s brain when he was here and things like that.
“But I think it’s a unique opportunity and a unique skill set for that role,” Downing said of Douglas, who had 66 catches for 621 yards and three touchdowns last year. “I’m excited where Pop’s at. I think he’s ascended throughout the course of OTAs and training camp. He’s raring to go and chomping at the bit for some of the stuff that this offense provides.”
One other thing that should help Douglas thrive is that with Stefon Diggs expected to be a full-go for Sunday’s opener, Douglas doesn’t have to masquerade as a No. 1 receiver anymore.
“It’s been fun to watch him really soak in the system and really understand what role we’re looking for from him and how he can impact those around him as well,” Downing said of Diggs. “It’s been fun to watch his progression mentally and physically, and throughout that time period.”
Downing was asked if Diggs was 100 percent for Sunday’s opener.
“I’ll leave it to those higher than me on the food chain for anything other than that,” a smiling Downing said. “But I’m excited about where he’s at.”
The Patriots’ receiving corps is coming off a rough 2024. Only one receiver a 100-yard game (Kayshon Boutte had 117 yards in the regular-season finale against the Bills). The combined 1,718 receiving yards was only 10 more than the Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase had.
As a result, New England turned over a sizable portion of the room. Of the six receivers on the active roster, only two (Boutte and Douglas) were on the team last year. While Diggs is the acknowledged No. 1 option, Downing anticipates doing some mixing and matching at the position, utilizing the group that also includes Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism.
Downing said the rotation will depend on a few things.
“I think the game flow will kind of dictate that a little bit; how the game’s going,” he said. “If we’re in a certain personnel grouping a bunch, then you may need to substitute a little bit more, especially early in the season; guys are getting their wind and getting used to playing more. I think there’s going to be a natural ebb and flow there. I would say that if you get a jersey on Sunday, I’m hoping you can impact the game somehow.”
And while that doesn’t necessarily mean having Douglas or Diggs as the last man standing between Maye and Crosby, Downing knows his receivers will play an outsized role in keeping the quarterback clean against the Raiders.
“I want to prepare the guys so that they’re already in crunch time, because you don’t know what’s going to happen. Somebody needs a shoelace, and the next guy’s in there,” Downing said. “Right now, everybody’s got to be ready to go.”
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On Saturday, the Patriots signed defensive tackle Cory Durden to the 53-man roster from the practice squad and released defensive tackle Jeremiah Pharms Jr. In addition, they elevated defensive back Corey Ballentine and linebacker Mark Robinson from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.