Patriots

Jerod Mayo calls Patriots’ wide receiver room a ‘wide-open competition’

"We have some young bulls, we have some older players. We have guys who are really unproven."

By Faith Pinnow

May 20, 2024

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The Patriots kicked off phase three of their voluntary offseason program Monday, with most players reporting to Foxborough to compete for a top spot on the 53-man roster.

While there’s been plenty of buzz about which of the four quarterbacks will start Week 1, another skill position is also brimming with competition. As 11 wide receivers set their sights on the 2024 season, their performance over the offseason will dictate their status heading into the fall.

For now, however, it’s all fair game.

“It’s a wide-open competition. We have some young bulls, we have some older players. We have guys who are really unproven,” head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters Monday, following the start of OTA practice at Gillette Stadium. “So, this is an opportunity for them to really get a leg up going forward, especially when you don’t have a guy like [Kendrick] Bourne out here during the spring. Guys will have opportunities.”

Bourne, who started the 2023 season as New England’s leading receiver, suffered a torn ACL in late October. He led the team with 37 catches for 406 yards and four touchdowns. Despite undergoing knee surgery to repair the damage, the wideout signed a three-year, $33 million contract with the Patriots in March. While his exact return date is still unknown, he is expected to be back on the field by Week 1.

“Honestly, it’s a week-by-week type of thing. We hope to get him out here, but he won’t be out here during the spring, I can tell you that. So, we’ll see going forward,” Mayo said.

Juju Smith-Schuster, another Patriots receiver coming off a 2023 season-ending injury, will have the offseason to prove whether or not he’s ready to start.

“The room is definitely crowded. He looks good. He’s moving around well,” Mayo said about Smith-Schuster. “We’ll see today when they’re actually going against someone else, but he looks good and it is a question for the end of the spring, honestly.”

There are a number of other returners, along with Bourne and Smith-Schuster, who aren’t yet guaranteed starting positions come fall. Namely, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario “Pop” Douglas, Jalen Reagor, and Tyquan Thornton.

Boutte, who was arrested on gambling charges in January dating back to his time at LSU, is still allowed to report to Foxborough for team activities.

“Right now he is out here. We will wait to hear from the league going forward, but he’s out here. He is doing a good job for us,” Mayo said about the second-year Patriot.

As for new players — like former Minnesota Viking K.J. Osborn and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker — Mayo emphasized the importance of offseason training.

“There is no other point in their careers where they can make a massive jump like they can going from year one to year two,” Mayo said. “And once again, they… don’t worry about last year. Now you understand what we are trying to do from a scheduling standpoint, from what you got to do to go out there and play. And so, we are looking for those guys to make a huge jump.”

Phase three of the Patriots’ OTA program will last for 10 days and will conclude just before mandatory minicamp on June 10.