FOXBORO — Through three weeks, the Patriots haven’t gotten much in the way of production from their wide receiver room. Kayshon Boutte is their top wideout with 147 yards, which ranks 45th in the NFL among all pass-catchers and 35th among receivers.
Though their passing game has been relatively efficient when not turning over the football — they rank eighth in EPA per pass and sixth in dropback success rate — they could use more dynamism from their receiver group. According to NextGen Stats, they have just one Patriots player in the top 50 in their average separation metric. It’s Pop Douglas (4.1 yards, 10th), who has just five catches for 13 yards and a touchdown this season.
The Patriots have a young backup receiver who could potentially provide that unit with a little more juice: third-round rookie wideout Kyle Williams.
The Washington State product has been targeted just twice in three games, catching both for 20 total yards. He’s clearly been behind Boutte, Douglas, Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins on the depth chart, but head coach Mike Vrabel said “hopefully” when asked if Williams’ opportunities could increase in the near future.
“The ones we’ve thrown to him, he’s caught,” Vrabel said. “Just keep building a role for him, get everybody some opportunities, and let the quarterback throw to the guy that’s open.”
For his part, Williams has remained steadfast despite his smaller role, understanding his place in the pecking order at his position.
“I feel like I can do everything, especially what’s asked of me,” Williams told NBC Sports Boston. “I feel like I’m pretty versatile. I feel like it’s just, at this point, it’s just waiting my turn.
“You know, we have a lot of guys ahead of me that are capable of doing everything just as well, and they all have great traits to their game that benefit this offense. For me, it’s just, you know, we have a lot of vets in front of me and I’m just a rook. Right now, I’m just waiting for my turn.”
Williams added: “I don’t know if there’s anything else that I could do but just be prepared and just be in the spot that they need me to be in when it’s time to be in, and then when my number is called, I know I’ll get that chance and then, you know, whatever happens happens.”
Asked if he felt there was anything he needed to do in order to earn himself more playing time, Williams said, “There’s some doubt back there when it’s like, sometimes you feel like you’re doing enough and you don’t see the the rewards of that, you kind of look back and you’re like, ‘What could I have done more? What could I have done a little better?’
“But, I mean, I feel like I’ve taken advantage of every opportunity that’s given to me, and I make the most of it. I’m happy with it. I’m not satisfied with it, but I’m thankful and grateful for the opportunity that I’m getting. That lets me know that they have some type of trust. We just keep building on it from there, just building bricks.”
Williams impressed at times during his first pro training camp, using his 4.40-second 40-yard dash speed to get open deep. He also appeared to create some separation down the field in New England’s first two preseason games before a hard hit to the head against the Vikings forced him to miss time.
Not knowing when those opportunities will come on a regular basis in the regular season, his mantra right now is to keep believing in the merit of his behind-the-scenes work at practice and with the coaching staff.
“It’s just trusting the process,” he said. “That’s really what it just comes down to. I think that’s what sums up everything that [coaches] are saying, just trust the process. And, you know, I feel like that just goes with everybody, every rookie that’s in there, or anybody that’s just getting those little reps and they want more.
“I mean, it’s just trust the process. It’s gonna come in due time. Like I always tell people, I’m trying to have a long career so what I do on the front end doesn’t have to match what I try to do on the back end. I’m trying to be in here for a long time. So if it starts off a little rocky or not how I’m planning it to go, I know it’s not going to stay like this forever.”
Whenever the time comes that Williams’ role does change, he plans to be ready for it.
“I prepare like a starter because you never know when is your time is going to be called,” he said. “And, you know, I don’t want to be that dude where it’s like you called me last minute and I had to change my whole routine. No, I try to stick to the program that I’ve been sticking to since I got here, learning from [other Patriots wideouts], stealing some type of their games, how they go throughout the building and implementing into my routine. I prepare like a pro, like a starter, so when that time comes, I’m ready.”