The New England Patriots have always thrived with having a dynamic and electric slot receiver in their most successful seasons over the last 20 years. It helped create an offensive system that is still used today in New England.
There is only one coach on the current staff who was around for it all and has firsthand experience of how it all worked in current offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
Although McDaniels has held many coaching roles during his 16 years and over two different stints in New England, his best work has been calling plays as a coordinator and as a quarterback coach, which he’s done for the majority of his career with the Patriots.
The model started in 2000 with Troy Brown. It was used again in 2007 with Wes Welker, who really set the standard for production from the position. It was then transferred to Julian Edelman in 2012, and it was enhanced from there.
Here are the players who’ve been successful as a slot receiver in New England:
- Troy Brown
- Wes Welker
- Julian Edelman
- Danny Amendola
- Phillip Dorsett
McDaniels had a heavy hand in the success of the slot receivers. The complex offensive system in New England runs smoothly when the right types of players are involved.
DeMario Douglas Is Poised for a Breakout Year Working With Josh McDaniels
The Patriots already have their next great slot receiver on the roster. He just needs to be coached up on a few concepts from a proven coordinator in this system, like McDaniels is. That receiver is DeMario Douglas.
Douglas was drafted in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons in New England, Douglas accumulated 166 targets and turned them into 115 receptions for 1,182 yards and scored three touchdowns in 31 total games.
The most impressive part of Douglas’ game is his reliability in catching the ball. In 2024, his 75.9 catch percentage is aligned with some of the NFL’s best receivers, not including tight ends or running backs.
When looking at the stats, I found that Douglas’ catch percentage is on pace with some of the NFL’s top receivers, with only a few factors included in this filter of receptions to targets with a minimum of 65 receptions and 100 targets.
For context, Douglas had 66 receptions on 87 targets. Here are some of the wide receivers that Douglas is in line with:
- DeVonta Smith: 68 rec. 89 tar. 76.4%
- DeMario Douglas: 66 rec. 87 tar. 75.9%
- A.J. Brown: 67 rec. 97 tar. 69.1%
- Nico Collins: 68 rec. 99 tar. 68.7%
- Cooper Kupp: 67 rec. 100 tar. 67.0%
- D.K. Metcalf: 66 rec. 108 tar. 61.1%
It’s worth noting that I used this criterion after filtering out tight ends and running backs, and the remaining players were mostly No. 1 options on their teams.
Last season, Douglas finished second on the team with 87 targets and was the No. 1 receiving option out of the slot. Here’s how he ranked on the team in 2024:
- 87 Targets (2nd)
- 66 Receptions (2nd)
- 621 Yards (2nd)
- 3 Touchdowns (Tied for the most on team)
In 2025, Douglas will be the starting slot receiver next to Stefon Diggs, who is the new No. 1 receiver for the Patriots this season. With the defense being focused on Diggs, Douglas is poised for a breakout year this season.
Douglas fits the model of what McDaniels wants in a slot receiver. Over the last two years, he proved to be capable of running all of the routes and was able to be a do-it-all player for New England. The best of it all is that McDaniels and Douglas haven’t worked together yet during his first two years, as McDaniels wasn’t with the team.
#Patriots WR DeMario Douglas said he’s watched film on some of the great slot receivers that have played in New England. He said he learned:
— Justin Trombino (@Trombino20) April 18, 2025
“How they run routes and how they became successful, like the little things that they do, how they come off the ball.”
(🎥Patriots) pic.twitter.com/vqY5J1xeGu
What’s helped Douglas the most has been working with the player who the model is designed after in Troy Brown. Brown was a coach on the team when Douglas was drafted. He began in 2020 as a coach for the running backs and kick returners. He then went to the wide receivers, kick and punt returners, and skill development during Douglas’ first two years on the team.
In Dec. 2023, during a media session, Douglas was asked if he’s talked to any of the former players who were once in his position as slot receiver. He said he’s said hello to Edelman once, but he’s been learning a lot from Brown.
"I haven’t had none [football conversations], I actually talked to Julian when he was in the hallway, but I got Troy here. I got Troy Brown here and he’s been doing a great job of leading us."DeMario Douglas on Troy Brown
Douglas’ route tree is on the same page as McDaniels' offensive blueprint. All that really needs to be addressed is timing and design. Douglas has a strong ability to find open spaces in a defense and create yards after catch for himself, which is essential for a slot in McDaniels’ offense.
DeMario Douglas can run all the routes that Josh McDaniels loves from his slots in his #Patriots offensive scheme.
— Justin Trombino (@Trombino20) April 18, 2025
What’s better is that they haven’t even worked together yet and Douglas is doing this:
(🎥NFL on FOX) pic.twitter.com/ov7oJjgeCh
If McDaniels is going to reinstall the old system with new head coach Mike Vrabel, a player who was on the team in the old system that McDaniels coached on, it’s invaluable for Douglas to have learned from one of the greatest to do it in team history in Brown.
McDaniels is going to make Douglas into a star slot receiver.