The New England Patriots had a need for speed. Acquiring AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs in the offseason should address it.
Brown and Doubs, who came from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, respectively, will figure heavily in the Patriots’ strategy. Brown, in particular, will look to bounce back after a subpar stint in 2025, which saw his numbers drop to career-lows, although he registered his fourth straight season with 1,000 receiving yards.
For ESPN’s Mina Kimes, having Brown and Doubs as dependable targets for Drake Maye will also greatly impact the team’s running game, as defenses will have to zero in on them.
“The revamping of the wide receiver group, not just Brown, the addition of Romeo Doubs, which I think is one of the most slept-on additions to any team, is not only going to keep this passing attack operating at a high level like it did last year, it’s going to open up opportunities on the ground,” said Kimes.
“As good as the Patriots offense was last season, they were not balanced. Very good throwing the ball, below average when running. I think that really hurt them in the postseason.”
“I think it’s gonna open up opportunities on the ground.”@minakimes on what A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs will bring to the Patriots’ offense 🏈 pic.twitter.com/rBeyUXwUbH
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) August 4, 2026
New England averaged 128.9 rushing yards last season, which was good for sixth place in the NFL. That number, however, fell to 117.8 rushing yards in the playoffs. The Patriots succumbed to the coverage of the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl.
That could change in the upcoming season, courtesy of the Patriots’ new faces.
“Now they’ve got AJ Brown and Doubs on the field, you’re gonna see a lot more split safety coverage, so I think there’s gonna be opportunities on the ground for those (running) backs,” stressed Kimes.
New England will begin its preseason schedule against the Indianapolis Colts on August 13.
The New England Patriots had a need for speed. Acquiring AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs in the offseason should address it. Brown and Doubs, who came from the Philadelphia Eagles and the Green Bay Packers, respectively, will figure heavily in the Patriots’ strategy.
