For the majority of the season, the New England Patriots hardly suffered any major injuries. That changed once defensive linemen Milton Williams went down in Week 11, and since then, it seems the team loses a key contributor every week.
In their Week 16 victory against the Baltimore Ravens, receivers DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte both sustained injuries, putting their status for Sunday’s game against the New York Jets in question. With the Patriots already clinching a playoff berth last Sunday and the Jets among the league's worst teams, there’s no need to rush these players back.
Instead, it gives the Patriots a perfect opportunity to utilize and develop rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams.
Patriots Must Increase Kyle Williams' Reps Versus Jets
One thing Patriots fans were reminded of when offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels re-joined the team is that rookie receivers tend to have a hard time grasping his scheme. This had led to numerous highly touted rookie receivers floundering in New England with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick at the helm.
Although it’s a different era, the sentiment remains. Through 15 games, Williams has appeared in just 252 offensive snaps and has only had three games where he’s appeared in more than 30. Coming out of college, Williams impressed many with his speed and capability as a downfield threat, averaging 17.1 yards per reception in his last year at Washington State.
While McDaniels has leaned on veterans Stefon Diggs, Mack Hollins, and Boutte, all of whom surpassed expectations, Williams has displayed flashes of being a future impactful contributor.
So far, Williams and quarterback Drake Maye have already established a terrific connection downfield, and it’s only strengthened as of late. Although he’s been targeted just 16 times, Williams has made the most of his opportunity, hauling in seven receptions for 189 yards and three touchdowns, two of which have occurred in the last three games.
Williams has excelled as a backup behind Boutte and has already provided the Patriots with game-changing plays. He helped spark last week's comeback win against the Ravens with a huge 37-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to three points.
With Boutte and Douglas banged up, this is an ideal time for McDaniels to design plays for Williams, explore different ways to utilize him, and evaluate the areas where he needs improvement.
One way for McDaniels to get the third-round selection more involved is by dialing some end-arounds or screen passes for him. He’s already exhibited that he can turn a modest gain into a huge score in Week 10’s victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he turned a quick slant into a 72-yard touchdown. Not only that, but Williams was also deployed in similar instances last year, accumulating nine rushes for 57 yards.
During McDaniels’ earlier stints, it was well-known that when it was well beyond third-and-long, he would call a screen pass. This year, we haven’t seen much of it, and with Williams’ home run ability, he’d be great in these situations.
Hopefully, we can see more of Williams being unleashed more in the offense down the stretch. With the playoffs approaching and playoff teams preparing for one another, the Patriots must get him going to open up the field for their other receivers.