The Los Angeles Rams need a third receiver behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, and a potential trade target could be waiting for them on the East Coast. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton said L.A. should consider trading for Patriots receiver DeMario Douglas, if New England doesn’t deal wideout Kayshon Boutte this summer.
“The Rams have one of the league’s best receiver tandems with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but the No. 3 spot is wide open. Although Nacua and Adams frequently shift inside the formation, the offense could fit in a primary slot receiver.
Los Angeles may be able to acquire Douglas in exchange for a late 2027 draft pick. He saw a drop-off in his receiving numbers last season, and the Patriots added wideouts A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs this offseason.”
The Patriots have invested heavily in the wide receiver position this offseason after parting ways with the productive Stefon Diggs. New England signed Doubs to a four-year, $68 million deal in free agency, and then acquired A.J. Brown from the Eagles in June. Those investments alone signify that Douglas and teammate Boutte could be on their way out if any teams get desperate for wide receiver help ahead of the regular season.
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Douglas would undoubtedly have a chance to stand out in Hollywood, as Los Angeles has yet to find a solid pass catching option outside of the Nacua-Adams tandem.
Throughout his first two seasons in the league, Douglas was a top target for the Patriots, which wasn’t hard to do given the state of the roster in the late Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo days. From 2023-24, he amassed 115 receptions on 166 targets for 1,182 yards and three touchdowns. Last season, he had career lows in targets (46), receptions (31) and receiving yards (447). He also didn’t start a game in 2025 for the first time in his career.
Much of his decline in production can be attributed to other wideouts on the roster earning more playing time. According to Pro Football Reference, Douglas played 288 snaps (26.3%) during the regular season, which was behind four other New England receivers:
Mack Hollins – 657 snaps (60.1%)
Kayshon Boutte – 607 snaps (55.5%)
Stefon Diggs – 598 snaps (54.6%)
Kyle Williams – 336 snaps (30.7%)
His decline in production is troubling at first glance, yet much of it was due to the Pats having more mouths to feed in ’25 compared to the previous two seasons. Diggs and Hollins were added in free agency last offseason, while Williams was selected in the 2025 NFL draft. Because of that, he saw a 36% drop in his snap counts after averaging at least 55% of the offense’s snaps in his first two years.
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Douglas has plenty of potential despite the drop. For one, he’s shown explosiveness, as demonstrated by his 6.2 career yards after the catch per reception average. He has additionally become a more reliable playmaker, improving his number of drops from seven in 2024 to just two last season. The third-year pass catcher was even the team’s second-leading receiver in the Super Bowl against the Seahawks, only behind Hollins, showing that he can step up in big games.
The greatest compliment a WR can ever receive comes from the player throwing them the ball. Patriots quarterback and MVP runner-up Drake Maye (sorry to do you like that, dude) spoke highly of Douglas earlier this summer. Maye recognizes a solid talent like Douglas, which should be deemed a ringing endorsement for anyone interested in his services, including the Rams.
Los Angeles has done everything possible this offseason to further cement a Super Bowl-contending roster, with WR3 the most glaring hole left to be filled. Douglas has plenty of ground to make up in New England with their new additions, yet that wouldn’t be the case as much with the Rams, who have yet to find a quality option behind Nacua and Adams. Douglas could become a relatively inexpensive option for L.A. if the Patriots are willing to deal later in the summer.
