Douglas was the Patriots' "best and most explosive playmaker" at spring practices, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Douglas led the team in receiving last season as a rookie sixth-round pick, albeit with only 561 yards and nary a touchdown. Around 65 percent of his snaps and production came from the slot, which presents a potential complication for a New England offense with three veteran WRs -- Kendrick Bourne (knee), K.J. Osborn and JuJu Smith Schuster -- that are arguably at their best working inside. All three are at least 6-foot, 200 pounds, while Douglas is much shorter (5-8, 192) but also the fastest (4.44 40) and most agile of the bunch. New Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt should find a way to keep Douglas involved, even if it means leaving Smith-Schuster and/or Osborn out of the rotation or bringing the team's rookie WRs along slowly (second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk and fourth-rounder Javon Baker).
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Douglas was the Patriots' "best and most explosive playmaker" at spring practices, according to Chad Graff of The Athletic. Douglas led the team in receiving last season as a rookie sixth-round pick, albeit with only 561 yards and nary a touchdown. Around 65 percent of his snaps and production came from the slot, which presents a potential complication for a New England offense with three veteran WRs -- Kendrick Bourne (knee), K.J. Osborn and JuJu Smith Schuster -- that are arguably at their best working inside. All three are at least 6-foot, 200 pounds, while Douglas is much shorter (5-8, 192) but also the fastest (4.44 40) and most agile of the bunch. New Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt should find a way to keep Douglas involved, even if it means leaving Smith-Schuster and/or Osborn out of the rotation or bringing the team's rookie WRs along slowly (second-round pick Ja'Lynn Polk and fourth-rounder Javon Baker).
For the second time this season, Douglas is in concussion protocol after he exited this past Sunday's 10-7 loss to the Giants with the head injury. Douglas has opened Week 13 prep with consecutive absences from practice, and unless he takes a dramatic step forward in terms of activity Friday, he'll most likely be ruled out ahead of this Sunday's game against the Chargers. The rookie's potential absence this weekend could open up more reps out of the slot for JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton.
Though head coach Bill Belichick was previously unwilling to confirm as much, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald relays that Douglas entered the NFL's concussion protocol after being forced out of this past Sunday's loss to the Giants. Given that Douglas was previously diagnosed with a concussion Oct. 8 and proceeded to miss the Patriots' ensuing Week 6 game, the wideout may face an uphill battle to clear the five-step protocol ahead of this Sunday's game against the Chargers. If Douglas is sidelined Week 13, DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton would be in line to lead the team's receiver corps.
Prior to his exit from the game, Douglas caught six of his nine targets for 49 yards. Given that Douglas was quickly downgraded to out after initially being listed as doubtful to return to the game, he presumably suffered a concussion. Douglas previously sat out the Patriots' Week 6 game against the Raiders due to a concussion, so if he's in the protocol for head injuries again, he'll be at high risk of missing the team's Week 13 game against the Chargers.
The sixth-round rookie led the Patriots in catches, targets and receiving yards as he put together the best performance of his young career, and it was Douglas that Bailey Zappe was looking for on a game-ending interception late in the fourth quarter. It's not clear whether Zappe or Mac Jones will be under center for New England coming out of next week's bye, but Douglas appears to be solidifying his spot as the top option in the team's passing attack ahead of a Week 12 clash with the Giants.
Douglas led the Patriots in receiving yards while tying Hunter Henry and JuJu Smith-Schuster for the team lead in targets. With Kendrick Bourne (knee) done for the season, Douglas has become New England's top receiver on the outside, at least until DeVante Parker (concussion) returns. Douglas has 20 targets over the past three games, but the 2023 sixth-round draft pick is still searching for his first NFL touchdown heading into a Week 10 matchup with the Colts in Frankfurt.