The Patriots’ wide receiver group is coming off a disappointing 2024 season.
The New England Patriots did add the likes of Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency, but their wide receiver group as a whole is still a young one. Diggs alone, for example, has played more games in the league than his nine youngest teammates combined.
That youth and inexperience was a problem for the group in 2024. A lack of production on one hand was accompanied by a lack of consistent leadership and effort on the other.
So far in 2025, however, the young wideouts have left a positive impression on their new position coach.
“The young group, their work ethic has been great. It’s been fun to watch them put in the extra time,” said wide receivers coach Todd Downing earlier this week.
“They’ll text me questions at night or text Riley Larkin, who’s helping out with this — a question, an ask for a drawing, an example, whatever. It’s been neat to see them really sink their teeth into it and attack the opportunity. I hope that continues and pay dividends as we finish up here in the offseason and in training camp.”
Downing joined the Patriots alongside head coach Mike Vrabel earlier this offseason. While an experienced coach who has five years of coordinator work on his résumé, the 44-year-old is a first-time wide receivers coach.
Nonetheless, his presence paired with the aforementioned additions — plus some potential development from the returning young players themselves — has seemingly been beneficial for the group. A change of course like that, frankly, was needed after what was an underwhelming 2024 season for the wide receiver room.
It also is something the Patriots’ new head coach hopes to see more of moving forward.
“We’re very early on in the process, but we need that group to compete and have a willingness to go out there and help the quarterback through this spring process,” Mike Vrabel said earlier during organized team activities.
Besides the aforementioned Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, the Patriots also have Kendrick Bourne under contract as an experienced presence at wide receiver. Joining the three vets are third-year men DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, sophomores Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker and John Jiles, and rookies Kyle Williams, Efton Chism, Demeer Blankumsee and Jeremiah Webb.