Romeo Doubs is officially headed to injured reserve, a move that sidelines the New England Patriots wide receiver for at least the next four games. While that’s a gut punch for any team, the good news, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, is that this isn’t looking like a long-term problem. The belief is Doubs is “hopeful to return after the Week 11 bye,” giving Patriots fans some real relief amidst the roster shuffle.
The Big Play That Landed Doubs on the Sideline
This whole situation exploded on Sunday during the Patriots’ 26-19 win over the New York Jets. Doubs, 26, went up for a huge 42-yard touchdown grab on just his team’s second offensive snap of the game. He came down hard on his shoulder and immediately exited the contest. Talk about a high-stakes play turning into a high-stakes injury, right? Initially, he was just questionable to return, but by the start of the third quarter, the team ruled him out for good. Then Monday, the IR designation came down, making it official. You just hate to see a dude make such a massive play and pay such a heavy price.
Timing is Everything With This IR Stint
Under NFL rules, Doubs can’t even practice until after New England’s Week 10 game against the Detroit Lions. But check this out: the timing here is actually pretty favorable. The Patriots have a bye week *right* after their cross-Atlantic trip to Germany to face the Lions. That means Doubs gets an extra week to heal up and get back into game shape before the team’s next matchup, which is against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 12. While he’s out, the Patriots are running with four other receivers: A.J. Brown, who just came back from an ankle injury himself against the Jets, plus DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism. Don’t forget Mack Hollins, who has been on IR since Week 5 with a calf issue, is set to be eligible to return to practice and the 53-man team in Week 9.
The Patriots are heading to Chicago this week for Thursday Night Football against the Bears. It’s a tough road test, especially with one of their key playmakers temporarily out of commission. Everyone will be watching how the remaining wideouts step up, especially with that Week 11 bye dangling like a light at the end of the tunnel for Doubs’ return.
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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