New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots finished the 2024 season ranked 30th in scoring (17.0 points per game) and despite a new head coach, offensive coordinator and No. 1 wide receiver, ESPN.com senior NFL writer Bill Barnwell is expecting much of the same in 2025.
Barnwell released his ranking for each team’s group of running backs, tight ends and wide receivers, and placed New England’s set of playmakers 30th in the NFL heading into the campaign.
Barnwell had the Patriots’ unit ranked 31st at this time last year and 26th in 2023. The only two teams ranked worse than New England as training camp approaches are the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.
Under new head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, the Patriots projected depth chart includes starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson, tight end Hunter Henry and Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams making up the starting group of wideouts in three-wide sets.
“Do you believe in Stefon Diggs? ESPN’s receiver score does, with the tracking metric placing the then-Texans wideout third among all wideouts before he tore his ACL in midseason. At 31, it seems risky to project Diggs to immediately return to that form, let alone his peak years with Josh Allen in Buffalo, but even a limited version of him would comfortably be the best wideout on the New England roster,” Barnwell wrote.
Diggs was New England’s marquee offseason addition, signing a three-year, $69 million contract with a guaranteed $26 million. The 31-year-old made four straight Pro Bowls from 2020-23 with the Buffalo Bills, but was limited to eight games in his lone season with the Houston Texans before tearing his right ACL in October.
“There isn’t really a Plan B as the lead receiver without Diggs in the mix. Mack Hollins and Pop Douglas are complementary players. Rookie third-rounder Kyle Williams will offer some much-needed speed, but he’s not entering the league as a complete receiver who can win at all levels,” Barnwell wrote. “… Running back Rhamondre Stevenson has struggled with efficiency in a lead role over the past two seasons. You can understand that amid dismal offensive line play, but he also fumbled a whopping seven times on 240 touches last season, a figure the Patriots can’t afford to live with again.”
The Patriots open up training camp for rookies on July 19, with veterans reporting on July 22.
