Patriots training camp breakout candidates: DeMario Douglas could level up

Yahoo

21-07-2025

Patriots training camp breakout candidates: DeMario Douglas could level up originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
When the Patriots begin training camp practices Wednesday, they'll hope the date also marks the beginning of a long, drawn-out journey during which they exceed expectations.
The Patriots are coming off back-to-back four-win seasons, and while they are expected to be a fringe playoff team by some, they are — generally speaking — not considered to be a group that will make more than a peep in January.
If they're going to start trending toward becoming a truly competitive bunch in 2025, they'll need a handful of players to emerge as more useful than anyone anticipated. Those types of 'breakouts' sometimes can be pegged before the regular season even arrives. Evidence crops up as early as August, in the throes of sun-drenched camp practices.
Who might those 'breakout' candidates be in Foxboro this summer? Glad you asked. We've identified five…
1. Starter who levels up: DeMario Douglas, wide receiver
The Patriots are going to need as many electric playmakers as they can get if they want an offensive attack that can legitimately contribute on a team that hopes to win more than half its games.
Douglas has the kind of athleticism in short-to-intermediate spaces that makes him difficult for defensive backs to smother, which he showed yet again this spring. He led Patriots wide receivers in catches (66) and yards (621) last season, and now paired with slot-friendly coordinator Josh McDaniels, he has an opportunity to improve upon both.
If he does, and if Drake Maye puts his trust in him, Douglas could turn himself into someone who is considered one of the top true slots in the conference.
In 2023, as a rookie, Douglas ranked fourth in the NFL among all wideouts with 7.0 yards after the catch per reception. In camp, in a new scheme, he may show signs that he's about to … y'know … pop … in the regular season.
2. Rookie thrust into a big spot: TreVeyon Henderson, running back
Teams that draft running backs in the top 40 tend to fall into two buckets: 1) Loaded rosters that have a need at the position and simply couldn't pass on a top-tier talent at one of the game's most devalued spots, or 2) Rosters in desperate need of offensive talent that have big plans for their young runner. The Patriots feel like the latter.
Though Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson are both capable runners, there's no reason for McDaniels not to use Henderson on a regular basis. He has enough juice to be considered an explosive play waiting to happen, and the thing that often keeps young backs sidelined — their pass-protection savvy — happens to be one of the Ohio State product's strengths.
He looked ready to contribute in OTAs, and that should continue even after the pads come on this summer.
3. Day 3 pick built for today's NFL: Craig Woodson, safety
The NFL is experiencing a bit of a tight end resurgence. Teams are using theirs more frequently, and deploying more than one tight end on a regular basis. It's looking like the 1990s out there at times.
How can defenses keep up? Players like Woodson, who are versatile enough to cover from various alignments and violent enough to handle the physical demands of slowing down an offense's version of a power forward.
Woodson was one of New England's best players in rookie minicamp, and he carried that into spring workouts, where he did not look out of place playing alongside veteran expected starters. If he continues on that trajectory, he could be viewed as a 'breakout' player this summer and parlay that into a regular role come the fall.
How rookie DB Craig Woodson's versatility could benefit Patriots defense
4. Day 3 pick built for Mike Vrabel's defense: Joshua Farmer, defensive tackle
It'll take a few days, but when the pads come on for the first time, all eyes will be on the defensive line.
Christian Barmore and Milton Williams are the big-money talents in the middle, their shoulders bearing the weight of great expectations. But if they are to be at their best, they're going to need others to share the workload.
Farmer looks like one of the best bets to take on the snaps that allow players like Williams and Barmore the occasional breather.
The Florida State product plays with the kind of violent demeanor Vrabel has appreciated in years past, and his long arms (35 inches) could allow him to play a variety of techniques and in a variety of different situations.
5. Undrafted rookie with a shot at the roster: Brock Lampe, fullback
The undrafted rookie who generated the most buzz in the spring, by a wide margin, was Eastern Washington wideout Efton Chism III. His ability to stop on a dime and create separation was on display on an almost-daily basis, to the point where it wouldn't come as a shock if he ultimately made the roster. He's on the 'breakout' radar.
But so is Lampe, despite the fact that he won't be stealing many headlines in camp. Why? McDaniels has long liked to have a fullback on his roster. Lampe plays fullback. He aligned there in spring practices — and early in practice periods, as in just behind quarterback Drake Maye — after thriving there at Northern Illinois.
Is there a chance the Patriots turn to someone else at that position? Either a tight end already on the roster or someone completely new to the team? Sure. But as of right now, if McDaniels wants a lead blocker for his runners in two-back sets, Lamps looks like the most likely to take on the James Develin or Jakob Johnson role.
How he performs when the pads come on in camp and he's tasked with blowing up a linebacker should go a long way in determining whether or not he'll be a long-term fixture.
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