The New England Patriots‘ wide receiver group is a main strength of the roster, but that makes roster cutdown day even tougher.
Now, ESPN’s Mike Reiss is projecting New England to take an unusual approach to keeping that depth intact.
In his final 53-man roster projection, Reiss has the Patriots carrying seven wide receivers: A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III.
That would keep every established member of the room and avoid forcing New England to choose between some of its younger options.
Patriots.com noted earlier in training camp that NFL teams typically carry five or six receivers, making seven a big number for one position.
For a team that entered the summer with tricky rulings at receiver, ESPN’s projection would amount to the surprising solution of keeping them all.
Patriots WR Logjam Produces Unusual 53-Man Projection
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – AUGUST 22: DeMario Douglas #3 of the New England Patriots celebrates on the sideline during the second half of the preseason game between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Brown and Doubs sit at the top of the group after New England made two major offseason investments.
The Patriots acquired Brown from Philadelphia in June, giving Drake Maye a No. 1 target after Stefon Diggs hit free agency. Brown finished the 2025 regular season with 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
Doubs arrived in free agency after agreeing to a four-year deal worth up to $80 million, according to ESPN. He caught 55 passes for 724 yards and six touchdowns for Green Bay last season.
The roster questions begin behind those two.
Douglas and Hollins both return after contributing to New England’s Super Bowl run, while Boutte has continued to make a case for snaps despite months of trade speculation.
Williams, a 2025 third-round pick, gives the Patriots another vertical threat after averaging 20.9 yards per reception as a rookie.
Chism may have done as much as anyone to complicate the final decision.
The second-year receiver made the initial roster as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and has continued pushing for a spot this summer. He caught four passes for 45 yards against Philadelphia in New England’s second preseason game, and Williams delivered the biggest play of the night on a 69-yard touchdown, per Pats Pulpit.
Those performances have made cutting either young receiver harder.
ESPN’s projection gives New England a way around that problem, although carrying seven wideouts would require the Patriots to sacrifice depth somewhere else on the roster.
Boutte Remains Biggest Variable in Patriots’ Decision
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 18: Kayshon Boutte #9 of the New England Patriots makes the catch for a touchdown as Derek Stingley Jr. #24 of the Houston Texans defends in the fourth quarter during the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium on January 18, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Boutte makes the receiver dilemma more complicated.
The 24-year-old is coming off the best season of his career, finishing 2025 with 33 catches for 551 yards and six touchdowns. He has also maintained his downfield connection with Maye throughout training camp.
At the same time, trade interest hasn’t disappeared.
Aaron Wilson reported Aug. 21 that Houston had made exploratory trade calls and identified Boutte as one of its potential targets. The development came after Boutte reportedly requested a trade earlier in the offseason following the additions of Brown and Doubs.
A deal would immediately make the roster numbers easier and leave New England with a more conventional six-man receiving corps.
ESPN’s projection, however, points toward another possibility.
If the Patriots don’t receive an offer they believe matches Boutte’s value, there’s no reason to move a productive receiver simply to create a roster spot. Keeping seven would allow New England to preserve its depth while holding onto a player who already has chemistry with Maye.
It would also complete a dramatic turnaround at a position the Patriots spent years trying to fix.
Final cuts could still deviate from this prediction, particularly if trade talks involving Boutte heat up.
As of now, ESPN sees enough value throughout the room for New England to make room for everyone.
Patriots Projected to Make Intriguing Roster Decision With 7 WRs