It’s been a busy few days ahead of free agency for the Patriots, and we’ve already seen several surprising moves early in this offseason, including a couple that signal big changes for 2026.
The first came following the news that the club opted to part ways with Stefon Diggs, who finished 2025 as the club’s leading receiver. He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and 4 touchdowns during the regular season, finishing with an average of 11.9 yards per reception.
But in the postseason, Diggs caught 14 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown, averaging just 7.9 yards per catch, an average lower than every other player with six or more receptions. He also struggled against Seattle in the biggest game of the season, which likely hurt his situation and left New England now in need of finding a replacement.
With Diggs no longer in the fold, it leaves the Patriots with just Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, Demario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism among receivers who caught passes last season, with both John Jiles and Jeremiah Webb also having been signed to futures contracts.
Douglas’ Long-Term Future in Doubt?
One thing that is a little interesting in all this might be the future of Pop Douglas, who is heading into the final year of his rookie deal. He recently told the Boston Globe’s Christopher Price that “I haven’t had any talks about an extension, but I would love to stay.”
His production in 2025 dropped off significantly from 2024. That year, he caught 66 passes for 621 yards, including 3 touchdowns. This year, he finished with more than half the number of catches with 31, along with 447 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.
But the more surprising number was his drop in playing time. Looking at his snaps in 2025, after playing in 63.4% of the snaps in Week 1, Douglas experienced a big drop-off in Week 2 (25%), and while he saw more time in Week 3 (39.2%), that would be the most playing time he’d see for the rest of 2025 until the Super Bowl (40.8%).
Looking at Pop Douglas' Snap Totals for 2025, his drop off was staggering from 2024. He caught half the number of passes from the previous year, & after playing 63.4% of the snaps in Wk 1, he dropped to 39.2% in Wk 3, the most he'd see during the remainder of 2025 until the Super Bowl (40.8%).
— PatsFans.com (@patsfans.bsky.social) 2026-03-07T17:37:45.700Z
Hollins was the player who really cut into Douglas’ playing time. He played in more than half the snaps all season prior to getting hurt, and finished third on the team in receiving yards for the regular season with 550 yards, just one yard behind Kayshon Boutte, who finished with 551. Hollins also scored two touchdowns during the regular season, along with one postseason TD, which happened to come in the Super Bowl.
Long-term, Douglas is certainly the better option given the differences in age. Hollins is 32 while Douglas is just 25. But the fact that the former Liberty wideout suffered such a drop off in production is certainly one of the more curious things we saw last season, setting up a key year for him in 2026.
Bradbury Trade Signals Change for Wilson
The trade of Garrett Bradbury on Friday was surprising, but the more interesting part of that move is what it likely means for 2025 rookie Jared Wilson.
The former third-round pick out of Georgia starred at center, with Wilson widely considered among the top centers in his draft class, having earned 2024 second-team All-SEC honors at that position. It seemed initially that Wilson was going to learn behind Bradbury in training camp and compete with Strange to back him up at center, but things shifted.
Quarterback-center exchange issues saw him take a step back, but Wilson then ended up in the mix at left guard after Bradbury settled in at center. The former Bulldog ultimately earned a starting role there in 2025 ahead of both Ben Brown and former Patriot Cole Strange, with Strange being let go at the end of camp.
As for Wilson, he struggled in the postseason, with both he and fellow rookie Will Campbell experiencing some rough moments down the stretch. But the team clearly appears to feel confident, given that they were willing to move Bradbury. The hope now is that he’ll get stronger over the offseason and be able to build on the success he had there in college.
Resolution Coming “Soon” on AJ Brown
NFL Media analyst Ian Rapoport reported on Friday night that a resolution should be coming soon between the Patriots and Eagles when it comes to a trade for wideout AJ Brown.
Rapoport said that the Patriots “do appear to be the most interested in AJ Brown,” adding that a trade “obviously makes sense considering Mike Vrabel’s connection to the former young superstar receiver that he had with the Tennessee Titans.”
The sticking point seems to be compensation, with the Eagles continuing to play hardball with their demands. Rumors seem to indicate that New England explored giving up a first and 3rd round pick for Brown, although Dianna Russini recently reported that “no official offer” has been made to this point.
Josina Anderson reports that the Eagles “have floated a 1st, 2nd, and a player” as part of their asking price to the Patriots in exchange for Brown during those discussions. For now, it remains to be seen just how far, if at all, Philadelphia might be willing to budge.
Rapoport went on to say that “Reuniting would make a lot of sense,” but the issue has been finding the “right value,” and the two sides would like to “at least get some resolution soon.”
Reports seem to say that if the Eagles continue to hold firm, New England will turn its attention elsewhere and explore other options.
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
