Getty New coordinator Alex Van Pelt's offense might not fit one New England Patriots' playmaker.
There aren’t many game-changers among the New England Patriots’ wide receiver corps, but DeMario Douglas qualifies after a record-setting rookie season. Douglas could be a breakout star in Year 2, provided he adjusts to a tricky scheme fit in new coordinator Alex Van Pelt’s offense.
It’s a potential problem spelled out by Chad Graff of The Athletic. He outlined the “uncertainty about how he’ll (Douglas) fit into a scheme like Alex Van Pelt’s that utilizes more downfield passing and jumbo packages.”
Specifically, “Van Pelt’s offense doesn’t utilize three-wide-receiver sets as much as other teams, meaning the Patriots are likely to often have just two receivers on the field. It’s still unclear if coaches think Douglas is good enough to be one of those two receivers (as something more than a pure slot option).”
There are two other reasons why Douglas might not be suited to the new direction the Patriots are taking under former Cleveland Browns play-caller Van Pelt. Yet, the sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft is talented and productive enough to outplay any X’s and O’s mismatch and still get on the field often.
Alex Van Pelt’s Offense Requires Different Profile at WR
Douglas is a holdover from the Bill Belichick era. At least in terms of physical profile and playing style.
Belichick long stayed tethered to slight and swift receivers who could win on option routes between the numbers and underneath. This is where Douglas thrived as a rookie, playing 274 snaps in the slot, according to Player Profiler.
One of his best plays over the middle was this catch against the Buffalo Bills in Week 7, highlighted by Matt Waldman of Football Guys.
Demario Douglas with a tough catch over the middle.
Plays like these helped Douglas amass the most yards by a rookie receiver during Belichick’s lengthy tenure. The problem is plays like these aren’t emphasized in Van Pelt’s system.
Instead, he prefers bigger receivers who pose size and speed mismatches on the perimeter. Wideouts like 6-foot-1, 211-pounder Amari Cooper and 6-foot-2, 204-pound Donovan Peoples-Jones.
As Graff pointed out, Douglas doesn’t exactly fit the bill: “The X-factor for Douglas will probably be the same thing year after year until he shows he can withstand the big hits that come in the NFL. Calling him undersized puts it mildly.”
Douglas isn’t going to outmuscle coverage at 5-foot-8 and 192 pounds, but size isn’t the only reason Graff believes “there are still fair concerns about whether he’s the perfect fit for this scheme.”
Other concerns relate to Van Pelt’s use of “downfield passing and jumbo packages.” Those concepts demand bigger personnel, but formations are also a potential issue for Douglas.
It’s an issue based upon how “for most teams, the slot receiver is a de facto starter because most teams base things out of 11 personnel with three receivers on the field. But Van Pelt has hinted that’s not what the Patriots are going to do.”
There are ample reasons why Douglas could see reduced playing time, but there’s an equally strong argument for why the Patriots still need him.
DeMario Douglas a Playmaker Patriots Need
The Patriots shouldn’t worry about Douglas adjusting to Van Pelt’s scheme. They need to make sure Van Pelt adapts the playbook to fit Douglas.
He’s a natural playmaker who can dissect defenses in multiple ways. Like when he consistently beat the Bills on the edges as both a runner and receiver, per NFL Network’s Kendell Hollowell.
Getting Demario Douglas the ball in space >>
A similar package of plays worked against the Bills again in Week 17, success illustrated by Taylor Kyles of Patriots on CLNS.
DeMario Douglas’ electric screen play was set up by a reverse one quarter earlier, but featured a different grouping, formation, and fake to the back
Completely duped the middle of Buffalo’s defense
Plays like these are simple to design and take full advantage of Douglas’ skills in the open field. They also make life easier for quarterbacks, something the Pats should prioritise after selecting Drake Maye with the third pick in the 2024 NFL draft to be the eventual franchise QB.
Maye isn’t slated to start right away, but he’ll need a quick chain-mover like Douglas. Fortunately, the latter “was the Patriots’ best wide receiver during spring practices. He consistently made tough catches, including a couple in the back of the end zone where you usually wouldn’t expect to see a 5-foot-8, 192-pound slot receiver, and was the team’s top playmaker on offense,” according to Graff.
Finding more ways to get Douglas involved should be Van Pelt’s focus. He can rely on veterans Kendrick Bourne and K.J. Osborn, along with rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker to win on the outside.