Patriots Receiver DeMario Douglas Embraces Competition, Looks to Stand Out Ahead of Upcoming NFL Season
· Yahoo Sports
Patriots Receiver DeMario Douglas Embraces Competition, Looks to Stand Out Ahead of Upcoming NFL Season originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Entering his fourth year with the Patriots, DeMario Douglas has made positive impressions during the offseason. He comes into camp with a plethora of other receivers ready to stand out.
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Instead of that deterring him, it’s motivating him heading into the 2026-27 season.
Douglas isn’t the main receiver on the Patriots’ roster. That spot goes to A.J. Brown, who the Patriots traded for earlier this offseason. The team also signed Romeo Doubs and already had Kayshon Boutte. It’s a crowded field, but it’s not something that worries Douglas.
"That makes the room better," Douglas said via Sports Illustrated. "The depth that we have, and man, the competition, man, it just makes the next person better. ... Since last year, you know, our room been stacked, and I feel like that's been making the next person better."
Selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, Douglas impressed his rookie year by rushing for 41 yards and having 49 receptions for 561 yards. In 2024, he had 66 receptions for 621 yards. Last year, he only had 31 receptions for 447 yards. Was it a sign of regression, or a one-time phenomenon?
DeMario Douglas embraces competition ahead of 2026-27 NFL season
Coming into the offseason, Douglas has worked hard to prove last season was only part of the latter conversation. The 25-year-old competes with over 10 other receivers.
You could never tell from the apparent smile he brings to training camp.
"I never shy away from competition," Douglas said. "You shy away from competition, you shouldn’t be in this league. In this league, everybody’s good. So, if you’re scared of competition, I honestly wouldn’t advise you to be in this league.
"I thrive off competition. I feel like that makes me better. It helps me grow. And it’s people out there better, and then that’s how you learn. When you learn, man, I feel like that’s how you get better.”
The Patriots made the Super Bowl last year, with Douglas having five receptions for 45 yards. They fell short against the Seahawks, but are built to return to the grandest stage in football. That’s thanks to QB Drake Maye, the addition of Brown, and even a motivated Douglas.
Douglas figures to fit somewhere on this team. The 5-foot-8 star has adapted rather well to the NFL level, evading tacklers with ease and becoming one of the top playmakers in the league in just a few years.
If given the chance to shine, he’s ready to continue to defy obstacles and exceed expectations.