How A.J. Brown’s Return Could Change Romeo Doubs’s Role in Patriots’ Offense

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The Patriots could very well be getting their top offseason acquisition back against the Jets this weekend.

Mike Vrabel told reporters Wednesday that New England opened A.J. Brown’s 21-day window to be activated from injured reserve. The wide receiver was placed on IR after the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Seahawks with a high ankle sprain. He officially returned to practice Wednesday and was listed as a limited participant.

“I think he’s stayed engaged,” said Vrabel when asked how Brown handled his injury rehab. “I think it’s difficult sometimes to stay engaged. I think his routine was really good, his ability to be around guys in the meetings and then also focus on his rehab. He’s just treating everything as a pro, being where he’s supposed to be and working hard to get back.”

Drake Maye, who has rebounded significantly over the past two weeks after a rough start to the 2026 season, also spoke about having Brown back at practice—and potentially on the field against the Jets on Sunday. 

“It’s awesome,” the quarterback said of Brown’s return. “It’s always a warm welcome in the huddle to have him back in there. So, I’m looking forward to seeing him progress, and it’s always great seeing him back out there. I think you would have to ask him how he felt, but I think it’s good to see him back out there; that’s for sure.”

The Patriots have had to rely on wide receivers Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III, Kyle Williams and Mack Hollins—until he, too, was injured—in Brown’s absence. While there will undoubtedly be a trickle-down effect in how the receiver group operates when Brown ultimately returns, the most fascinating part will be how Doubs’s role is impacted.

Romeo Doubs’ role in Patriots’ offense will change upon A.J. Brown’s return

Even after signing a four-year, $68 million contract in free agency this offseason, Doubs played only 56% of the Patriots’ offensive snaps in Week 1. He was targeted only three times with no receptions. As you would expect, however, both his snap count and his production have increased in the weeks since Brown went down. Here’s a look:

• Week 2: 67% snap share, three catches (four targets), 96 yards
• Week 3: 73% snap share, three catches (four targets), 49 yards
• Week 4: 64% snap share, six catches (nine targets), 58 yards, two touchdowns
• Week 5: 83% snap share, one catch (three targets), 16 yards

Moreover, Doubs slid into the Patriots’ “X” receiver position with Brown out, while Hollins filled the “Z” role, until he was injured in Week 4. Naturally, this has led Maye to target Doubs deep, as shown by his career-high 16.9 yards per reception this season and 17.1-yard average depth of target (ADOT), the fifth-highest in the NFL. This role shift has also brought growing pains, as Doubs has dropped passes in all but one game this season—and was unable to haul in two deep targets from Maye against the Raiders on Sunday.

With Brown on the cusp of a return and Hollins now on injured reserve with a calf injury, it makes sense for Doubs to return to playing Z, where he can attack the intermediate part of the field more frequently, something he excelled at during his time with the Packers.

But will that be the case?

On passing downs, it would makes sense. Doubs has proven to be a reliable, and often clutch, receiver over the middle throughout his career—as evidenced by his 112.7 passer rating when targeted in 2025. Though his usage, even if in a different role, in New England's passing game will be worth monitoring. The bigger question is how the Patriots will handle their personnel on early downs and with heavier groupings. Doubs played only seven snaps on run plays in Week 1 when both Brown and Hollins were in the mix, and Chism has since taken over for the latter at Z—impressing as a blocker.

Would the Patriots favor the second-year, undrafted free agent over the veteran they just paid this offseason? It’s possible. Given Chism’s blocking ability and Doubs’s uneven start to the season, there’s reason to believe that New England will continue to keep the younger receiver on the field in certain situations. 

Ultimately, while Brown’s return should give Maye and the Patriots’ offense a significant boost, it could once again leave their other top offseason acquisition, Doubs, adjusting to a new role. The Chism factor is significant, and it will be interesting to see how New England deploys its pass catchers as Brown works his way back into the fold.