Pop Douglas Sends Message to Critics Amid Questions on Patriots' WRs

The New England Patriots wide receiver is set to put the league on notice in 2024.

Jul 24, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas (3) runs through a drill during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

Among the most prominent holes of this New England Patriots roster across last season revolved around this team's lowly pass-catching room. Within a year filled with numerous injuries to the offense, along with a lack of overall depth and talent, this squad failed to have any receiver on board to eclipse over 600 yards receiving-- a mark that hasn't been seen in Foxboro since 1988.

Needless to say, this team needs to have a big year from their receivers to get that side of the ball back on track, and this WR room has become well aware of the stakes that are at hand. Second-year Patriots WR Pop Douglas is the latest New England pass catcher to sound off on some expectations for this team in 2024, where he expressed some big improvements to be on the way.

Douglas spoke to the media after training camp on Sunday, where he sees this year's group of wide receivers as a "whole different room" than their previous campaign. He also touched on a bit of some wide receiver rankings around the NFL for 2024, in which New England has routinely seen the bottom of lists from outlet to outlet:

"[We're] way better than we did last year. Don't get me wrong, we had some receivers, but I feel like it's a whole different room this year... [The low rankings] motivated me, for sure, and I've seen it motivate others too. I feel like if the younger guys feel that way, it's going to do nothing but motivate us too, so it's going to be good."

- Pop Douglas on critics of Patriots' WRs

Pop Douglas and the #Patriots WRs are not happy they’re being rated as the worst in NFL. Douglas says they’ll be “way better” than 2023.

Douglas: “Way better than we did last year. Don’t get me wrong, we had some receivers but I feel like it's a whole different room this year.” pic.twitter.com/wecLTw5aLT

— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) July 28, 2024

Douglas isn't wrong in his view of the roster's talent either-- this is a whole different WR room than 2023. By adding in two draft picks in Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, along with offseason signing K.J. Osborn, who would've posted the Patriots' second-highest receiving total last year at 540 yards, a much-needed refresh could be on the way for New England's offense.

Of course, it's an unproven group to enter the season with, which is why many sources have seen this core as a bottom-dweller in the NFL. ESPN labeled the Patriots with the 31st-best weapons group in the NFL, while Pro Football Focus ranked New England's WR core dead-last for next season.

While unproven, that's not something that will stop this group of wide receivers from righting the ship over their upcoming campaign. As Douglas eyes a potentially big year two jump, significant roles come into play for Polk and Baker, and Kendrick Bourne/JuJu Smith-Schuster enter the fold much healthier than they ended last season, there's considerable optimism for New England's weapons.

The next question effectively leans upon the quarterback position, which could be up in the air between Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye as we move through the motions of camp. Whoever it may be, they'll have a much better cast to work with than they did last season-- and that's a win in itself.

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