DeMario Douglas hauls in highlight reel catch from Drake Maye, continues impressive Patriots training camp

DeMario Douglas hasn’t missed a beat in Josh McDaniels’ playbook and was perhaps the Patriots’ top receiver during the previous two seasons.

Douglas has stood out amid New England’s rejuvenated receiving group over the four days of Patriots training camp. Out of the slot, he has been Drake Maye’s safety net, and Saturday was perhaps his best practice of the week.

When Douglas hit Maye on a deep pass during Saturday’s 11-on-11 practice, he put his name in the running for camp play. When the play broke down, Maye rolled out of the pocket to find Douglas, who then improvised a downfield route.

The enormous number of people who attended the weekend practice gave the profound connection a boost.

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At another moment during practice, Douglas discovered a weakness in the Patriots defense and crossed the field to beat his main defender while remaining beneath the safety and collapsing in his direction.

In close-up, Demario Douglas makes a fantastic circus catch.AWbETiB42y pic.twitter.com/

Douglas will surely play a significant part in New England’s offense this season, despite the offseason arrival of Stefon Diggs and the rise of rookie pass-catcher Kyle Williams. In addition to his skill and development as a receiver, he functions well out of the slot, which has long been an important component of McDaniels’ offensive scheme.

Based on his early impressions of the playbook and movie, Douglas acknowledged earlier in the offseason that he adores McDaniels’ offense. And as camp progresses, it appears that he is becoming ever more confident in it.

In his 31 games throughout his first two seasons in the league, Douglas amassed 1,182 yards and three touchdowns, displaying glimpses of promise. With Diggs and other offensive threats to keep defenses honest under McDaniels, Douglas might be a breakout player for the Patriots and the NFL as a whole.

Douglas should have no shortage of targets in 2025 as long as he maintains Maye’s trust.