Romeo Doubs’ sixth game for the New England Patriots was over in a flash, literally two snaps. The second one? A massive 42-yard touchdown catch, but then he stayed down, shoulder clearly an issue. Now, that shoulder injury has officially put him on injured reserve, sidelining the high-prized offseason signing for a minimum of four games, maybe longer. The team announced the move Monday, and it means the Patriots are without Doubs for matchups against the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and Detroit Lions. Talk about a brutal blow.
Momentum Derailed Just as It Was Building
You remember Doubs starting his Patriots tenure with an underwhelming performance right here in Seattle. But man, he had totally turned a corner since then, really starting to click with quarterback Drake Maye. Including that one monster reception against the New York Jets on Sunday, he had racked up 14 catches for a team-leading 261 yards and three touchdowns. His 18.6 yards per catch ranked second only to Kyle Williams’ 24.5, and his 11 first downs put him third, trailing Hunter Henry’s 13 and DeMario Douglas’ 12. He was becoming a real weapon, building genuine chemistry with Maye. Now? All that momentum, that connection, it just stalls out for at least four games. It’s gotta be frustrating for Maye, too, losing a guy he was finally gelling with.
The Wide Receiver Room Is a Disaster Zone
Just when you think things might be looking up! The Patriots had literally just activated A.J. Brown off injured reserve after his four-week stint with a high ankle sprain. You’d think, “Okay, some depth!” Nope. Brown and Doubs shared exactly two snaps on the field together before Doubs was lost to injury. Are you kidding me? This shoulder issue is just the latest hit to their wide receiver continuity. Two weeks ago, Mack Hollins also got sent to IR with a calf injury he picked up in their win in Buffalo. He won’t even be eligible to return until after the Week 8 game in Miami.
So, for now, their receiver group is looking thin:
- 53-man roster (4): A.J. Brown (1), DeMario Douglas (3), Kyle Williams (18 | KR), Efton Chism III (86)
- Practice squad (4): Kyle Dixon (83), Cameron Dorner (88), Chandler Brayboy (81), Ryan Miller (,)
- IR (3): Romeo Doubs (87), Mack Hollins (13), Jeremiah Webb (29 | season-ending)
They’ve been in this situation before, too. Back in Week 5 against the Raiders, they also had only four wide receivers on the active roster. What did they do? They opted not to elevate anyone from the practice squad and leaned heavily on their tight ends, especially rookie Eli Raridon, to carry the load. You have to wonder if we’re gonna see that same playbook again in the next few weeks until Hollins is back.
This whole situation puts serious pressure on A.J. Brown, especially after his first game back from IR was a bit of a letdown. He did catch three passes for 27 yards, but that was on ten total targets, and he dropped two passes that could have been huge. He’s gotta step up big time, because right now, that Patriots receiving corps is looking awfully shaky heading into a tough stretch of games. They need someone, anyone, to make plays!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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