Patriots Receive Positive Injury Update on Key Playmaker

Ahead of a competitive week for the Patriots that includes both joint practices with the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday and a preseason match-up between the two teams on Thursday, the team received some good news on the injury front.

Second-year wideout DeMario Douglas returned to full participation in practice on Monday, shedding the red non-contract jersey that he had been wearing as he battled through a hand injury. As a result of the injury, Douglas' participation in practice had been limited and he did not feature in New England's preseason opener on Thursday against the Carolina Panthers.

Patriots News: Demario Douglas Was a Full Participant in Monday’s Practice

Douglas, who caught 49 passes for 561 yards last season, is expected to take on a prominent role in the offense after his standout rookie season. Undersized at five feet eight inches and a low draft pick (sixth round pick out of Liberty), Douglas quickly began to cement himself as a fan favorite. His receiving yards led the team and he ranked second in receptions and first downs.

New England's offseason saw significant turnover at quarterback, so every rep between the new quarterbacks and the receiving corps is vital. The Patriots brought back former third-round pick-turned-journeyman Jacoby Brissett, drafted Drake Maye third overall, and also took Joe Milton in the sixth round. Brissett is currently the runaway favorite to start New England's Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Patriots have also been installing a new offensive scheme under new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. The implementation of a new scheme puts even greater weight on practice and reps, so it is good to see Douglas out back out there at full tilt.

New England's receiver room is arguably the most intriguing offseason position group on the roster. In addition to Douglas, the Patriots invested in wide receivers at the draft, selecting Ja'Lynn Polk in the second round and Javon Baker in the fourth. K.J. Osborn joined the team in free agency on a one-year deal from the Minnesota Vikings. New England also re-signed Jalen Reagor and Kendrick Bourne. Bourne will likely start the season on the PUP list until he is fully recovered from a torn ACL suffered in Week 8 last season.

David Wallis, Tyquan Thornton, JaQuae Jackson, Kayshon Boutte, and Kawaan Baker round out the receivers currently listed on the Patriots' 90-man roster. Thornton and Boutte are the strongest candidates to earn a spot when the roster is cut down to 53 on Aug. 27.

New England's receiver room is a little thinner after veteran JuJu Smith-Schuster was released on Friday. Smith-Schuster's time in Foxborough came to an unceremonious end after only 11 games played for the Patriots.

The Patriots will host the Eagles for a joint practice on Tuesday before playing host for a preseason game on Thursday. Thursday's preseason game is slated to start at 7:00 p.m. ET. Per head coach Jerod Mayo, New England's starters will play significantly more in their second preseason game than they did against Carolina.

With Douglas' full return from injury, he should be one of those players seeing the field quite a bit on Thursday.

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