The New England Patriots have endured a topsy-turvy start to the 2025 campaign. While not everything has gone right for the team, there are several encouraging developments through three games, with one of the biggest of the bunch being the play of the team’s rookies.
Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, Craig Woodson and Andy Borregales have all earned starting roles with the team, with guys like TreVeyon Henderson and Joshua Farmer also factoring into the mix. One guy who has been surprisingly quiet is third-round rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams.
During training camp, Williams was one of the Patriots’ top players, and it seemed like he could earn a role on offense right out of the gate. Instead, he’s caught just two passes, despite being active for all three games.
New England has a crowded depth chart at wide receiver, with Stefon Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, Demario Douglas and Mack Hollins coming in ahead of him. Williams knows he has to bide his time, but his recent comments made it sound like he believes he’s ready for a bigger role with the team.
“We have a lot of guys ahead of me that are capable of doing everything just as well, and they all have great traits to their game that benefit this offense,” Williams said, per Phil Perry of NBC Sports Boston. “For me, it’s just, you know, we have a lot of vets in front of me and I’m just a rook. Right now, I’m just waiting for my turn.”
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While Boutte enjoyed a strong outing against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1, the Patriots have otherwise struggled to get consistent production from the wide receiver position. Could giving Williams some snaps in place of a struggling Douglas be a switch the coaching staff is willing to make?
It’s still early in the season, so New England likely isn’t ready to make any drastic changes yet. If their offense remains in a rut, though, it may be worth giving Williams a longer look to see if he can contribute on offense sooner than expected.
