The New England Patriots are assuredly thrilled with their recent trade acquisition of A.J. Brown and pairing him with pass-catchers like Romeo Doubs and Kayshon Boutte as they try to repeat as AFC champions, but bringing him in means some players fans have grown to love over the last few seasons may end up getting booted out of town due to a roster crunch.

One such player is wide receiver DeMario Douglas. The man they call “Pop” not only has to fend off those three expected starters, but he needs to hold off a challenge from well-regarded 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams. As such, Bleacher Report listed Douglas, who may be eyeing a new contract, as one of five players who could end up being released as a cap casualty.

What would make the idea of a Douglas departure sting even worse is the team that he would continue his pro career with, as B/R listed the rival New York Jets as a possible landing spot. After the Patriots lured Alijah Vera-Tucker away from Gang Green with a three-year contract in free agency, the Jets may return the favor.

B/R lists Jets as landing spot for Patriots WR DeMario Douglas after A.J. Brown trade

Douglas has exceeded expectations after arriving in New England as a sixth-round pick, catching 115 passes in his first two seasons. However, he caught just 31 passes for 447 yards last year, showing that his stats from 2023 and 2024 may have been the result of getting tons of snaps on bad teams.

Still, Douglas is a productive player who can have a role on a championship-level team. His ability to get open underneath and make plays with the ball in his hands has given him some utility, even if he is still limited to a slot role by way of his physical limitations.

The Jets seem like an unlikely landing spot for Douglas, as they supplemented Garrett Wilson and Adonai Mitchell by investing three Top-50 picks in Mason Taylor, Kenyon Sadiq, and Omar Cooper Jr. in the last two years. However, stealing from the Patriots is always at the forefront of their minds.

It seems unlikely that Douglas is going to get a second contract in New England, given how much they have invested at wide receiver and how big the eventual Drake Maye extension is going to be. Even if the Patriots give him up, going to the Jets might be a lousy way for his time to end.

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