Entering the season with just two wide receivers from 2017, the New England Patriots will count highly on fourth-year receiver Phillip Dorsett.
With Brandin Cooks now in Los Angeles and Danny Amendola sporting the teal and white down in Miami, the New England Patriots enter the 2018 NFL season with just three wide receivers familiar with the team’s offense.
One of those players is fourth-year wide receiver Phillip Dorsett. While much of the pressure will be on Chris Hogan to produce in the offense with Julian Edelman serving a four-game suspension, Dorsett predicts to be one of Tom Brady’s main targets.
If he can find the consistency he has lacked in his first three seasons in the NFL, Dorsett could flourish in an expanded role. The Patriots are certainly counting on and so is the receiver who was acquired in a deal with the Indianapolis Colts for Jacoby Brissett to start the 2017 NFL season.
Now comfortable in the system and with Brady, Phillip Dorsett is confident he can add more to the team than the 12 passes for 194 yards he caught a season ago.
"“I think my comfort level has gotten a lot better,” Dorsett said, as transcribed by the Providence Journal. “But you can’t get complacent in this offense. Everything changes. There’s a lot thrown at you, and they expect the best from you. So if you don’t bring your best out there, something bad is going to happen.”"
Dorsett will be thrown in the fire right away. Unless some blockbuster trade happens to bring in another wide receiver between now and Sunday’s Week 1 opener against the Houston Texans, the 5-foot-10, 192-pound wide receiver will start opposite Chris Hogan.
In an offense that will primarily feature tight end Rob Gronkowski and the running backs, Dorsett will have an opportunity to flourish on the outside similar to what Cooks did a season ago. While the numbers aren’t there, Dorsett does have similar speed to that of Cooks, but will need to add both toughness and a reliable set of hands to produce even half the production both Cooks and Amendola produced a season ago.
Overall, there will be a lot of pressure on Phillip Dorsett, but it is a pressure that will ultimately determine what kind of NFL player he will be, especially in the New England Patriots offensive system. To say he is an X-factor this season is an understatement.
Simply put, the University of Miami product is primed to make the next step in his career and positioned to be the next wide receiver Tom Brady turns into a major contributor.
Patriots add a versatile playmaker to practice squad
The New England Patriots aren’t done adding players. According to Eric Edholm of Pro Football Weekly on Monday, the team have added former Detroit Lions wide receiver Jace Billingsley to their practice squad.
Billingsley, 25, totally fits the mold of the type of players on the offensive side the Patriots look for. An undrafted free agent in 2016, the Eastern Oregon product was used as primarily a slot receiver and return man with the Lions. However, he does have an ability to play running back, which makes him an intriguing addition to the practice squad.
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At 5-foot-9, 189 pounds, Jace Billingsley has a similar build to a player currently on the New England Patriots roster he idolizes.
Just last month, Billingsley told the Detroit Free Press that he studies film to learn how to play the game like Julian Edelman.
"“I think one thing that I’ve learned from [Julian Edelman] is that he always is just playing hard and he’s doing things a little unorthodox, but it’s his way and it works for him and he’s gotten good at it,” Billingsley said. “And he just kind of trusts his process and that’s one thing I’ve learned is just finding what you’re good at and building on that rather than trying to always be like someone else, because you’re not them. So you have to be yourself and you have to do what you do good.”"
While Jace Billingsley will start on the practice squad, don’t be surprised if he sees some time on the 53-man roster at some point during the season.
Bill Belichick talks addition of two new wide receivers
The New England Patriots will not only depend on Phillip Dorsett to make a major contribution this season, they also hope someone unexpected steps up.
It could be Jace Billingsley at some point during the season or it could be one of the two receivers the team claimed off waivers.
While neither Amara Darboh or Chad Hansen are household names, they are players the team have done their homework on and wouldn’t have been brought in if the team didn’t believe they could make some kind of contribution.
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When asked about both players, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said just that.
"“Well, we looked at both players last year as part of the draft process,” Belichick said during his conference call Monday. “Also saw them in preseason this year – well, Hanson in preseason this year – and they were available. So, we’ll take a look at them, see how it goes.”"
Both Darboh and Hansen come in with a size and speed that can be utilized in some fashion. If anything, Darboh could factor in to the team’s punt return competition. While veteran players like the recently retired Eric Decker has had a tough time catching up in the Patriots’ system, a challenge for the team will be getting these two new receivers up-to-speed ahead of the Week 1 matchup with the Texans.
When asked about that challenge, Belichick said the team will take it day-by-day as they only have the players college performances to go off of. In short, neither player comes with high expectations.
"“Our expectations are just, again, short-term,” Belichick added. “Not trying to plan out anything other than where we are today, where we are tomorrow, see where we are the next day and just see how all that comes together.”"
Of course, there is always hope a player catches on faster than expected. Going into the season with a wide receiver depth chart of Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett and Cordarelle Patterson, the New England Patriots need an unexpected surprise. Maybe Darboh or Hansen will be one.