The Los Angeles Rams are on the hunt for a third receiver, and an interesting name from the East Coast is popping up as a potential trade target. Bleacher Report's Moe Moton is straight up saying L.A. should consider making a move for Patriots wideout DeMario Douglas. This is all dependent on whether New England doesn’t deal Kayshon Boutte first, but man, this could be a sleeper pickup if it happens.
Hollywood Needs a Slot Star, And Douglas Has The History
You know Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are an elite receiving tandem for the Rams, but that No. 3 spot? It's wide open, just waiting for someone to snatch it up. Moton points out that while Nacua and Adams can shift inside, the offense is screaming for a primary slot receiver. Douglas could fit that bill. The best part? L.A. might be able to snag him for just a late 2027 draft pick. Talk about a potential bargain if he can get back to his old form. We've seen what he can do, even against our own Seahawks in Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, when he was out there making plays in the first quarter. He's got that big-game experience! Yeah, Douglas saw a drop-off in his receiving numbers last season, but let's be real, the Patriots were making moves. They picked up A.J. Brown from the Eagles in June and signed Romeo Doubs to a massive four-year, $68 million deal in free agency. New England went hard on the receiver position after letting Stefon Diggs walk. Those investments tell you everything you need to know: guys like Douglas and Boutte might be on the trade block if teams get desperate for receiver help before the regular season kicks off. If Douglas heads to Hollywood, he'd absolutely get a chance to shine, especially with the Rams still looking for a solid pass-catching option outside of Nacua and Adams.What Happened in New England, And Why Douglas Still Has Juice
So what went down in New England? For his first two years, 2023-24, Douglas was a top target for the Patriots. He racked up 115 receptions on 166 targets for 1,182 yards and three touchdowns. Those are solid numbers, especially considering the state of the Patriots' roster back in the late Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo eras. Then came 2025, and his production dipped big time. He hit career lows with 46 targets, 31 receptions, and 447 receiving yards. He didn't even start a game for the first time in his career. But here’s the kicker: this decline wasn't necessarily about Douglas losing a step. Pro Football Reference shows Douglas played only 288 snaps (26.3%) in 2025. That was behind four other New England receivers: Mack Hollins (657 snaps), Kayshon Boutte (607 snaps), Stefon Diggs (598 snaps), and Kyle Williams (336 snaps). The Patriots just had more mouths to feed! They added Diggs and Hollins in free agency last offseason, and drafted Williams in 2025. Douglas saw a 36% drop in snaps after averaging at least 55% in his first two years. That's a huge shift in opportunity, not necessarily skill. The source says it plain as day: Douglas has "plenty of potential despite the drop." For the Rams, grabbing Douglas could be a low-risk, high-reward move ahead of the season. If he can recapture that early career form with a fresh start and a clearer path to playing time, L.A. could be looking at a serious upgrade in their receiving corps. Keep an eye on this one as teams finalize their rosters before Week 1. This could be the kind of under-the-radar play that changes a team's offensive outlook.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.