With the NFL draft just a few weeks away, teams are finalizing their draft boards and meeting with players they are interested in selecting. For the New England Patriots, this means they'll look to reload with hopes of returning to the big game after an impressive season that saw them come up just short in the Super Bowl.
Heading into the draft, the Patriots have some needs that must be addressed to help improve the roster. One spot that the Patriots could target is a wide receiver. Should they ultimately wind up drafting one, it could reveal the team's feelings on Kyle Williams, as his 2025 campaign left more questions about his fit than answers.
Kyle Williams's Patriots Role Could Be Up-in-the-Air
Last year's draft saw the Patriots select Kyle Williams in the third round. The Washington State product had a great final collegiate season, finishing with 70 catches for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns.
During his rookie season, though, Williams struggled to find a consistent role among the Patriots' receivers, finishing the year with only 10 catches for 208 yards and 3 touchdowns. Despite those underwhelming overall statistics, some of Williams's averages were rather strong, leaving hope that he could develop into a difference-maker on offense.
According to Pro Football Focus, Williams averaged 20.9 yards per reception, with an average depth of target of 18.7 yards. When you combine that with the 7.8 yards after the catch that Williams averaged, it makes sense why Patriots QBs had a passer rating of 122.8 when looking in his direction.
So far this offseason, the Patriots have seen one notable change to the receiving room. After a 1,000-yard season, the Patriots released Stefon Diggs and signed former Green Bay Packers standout Romeo Doubs. Beyond those two moves, the Patriots' wide receiver room will be the same. This, in theory, would be good for Williams, who would give himself a chance to earn a more consistent role within New England's offense.
On the other hand, if the Patriots target a receiver during the draft, that could bode poorly for Williams. Adding another receiver would crowd the room and could push Williams further down the depth chart.
On top of bringing in Doubs, New England still has Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte, who led the receivers in snap counts last season. DeMario Douglas also remains on the roster and will be looking to rebound from a down 2025 campaign. Would adding a receiver automatically mean the team doesn't believe in Williams? No, it wouldn't necessarily mean that. However, adding one could make his role on the team smaller in the 2026 season.
Once the draft is over, you'll start to get a better idea of how the Patriots feel about the players at each position, and no group will be watched as much as the wide receivers.