DeMario Douglas' Competitive Mindset is Perfect for Crowded Patriots WR Room

FOXBORO --- DeMario Douglas might have seen the New England Patriots add some big names to the wide receiver room this offseason, but he's certainly not upset about it.

In fact, the fourth-year wide receiver relished the idea of being able to compete with his teammates this summer.

Speaking to reporters after the Patriots' third training camp practice of the year, Douglas is welcoming everything that comes with being in a crowded room. The Patriots currently have 11 receivers on the roster, and Douglas has been able to shine in the top unit.

"I never shy away from competition," Douglas said with a smile. "You shy away from competition, you shouldn’t be in this league. In this league, everybody’s good. So, if you’re scared of competition, I honestly wouldn’t advise you to be in this league.

"I thrive off competition. I feel like that makes me better. It helps me grow. And it’s people out there better, and then that’s how you learn. When you learn, man, I feel like that’s how you get better."

Douglas Is Competing In A Jammed Up WR Room:

As training camp rolls on, the Patriots have A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, Efton Chism III, Kyle Dixon, Kobe Prentice, Nick DeGennaro and Cameron Dorner on the roster.

New England Patriots wide receivers wait their turn for a rep at training camp. | Ethan Hurwitz / Patriots On SI

The competition hasn't been just fighting for snaps. They've also carried that energy in between drills with wide receiver sprints on the field and an eagerness to learn off of it.

"In the classroom, we’re going at it, trying to answer first, stuff like that," Douglas said. "On the field, we push each other."

Douglas' snaps have gone down in recent years, and last year, he caught a career-low 31 passes. His 447 receiving yards was also the fewest in his career. But last year is las year, and Douglas, entering his second year under Josh McDaniels and third playing alongside quarterback Drake Maye, is working to make this year filled with joy.

What "Putting In That Pain" Means:

To make that joy come, Douglas has been living by a phrase that has helped him appreciate how hard training camp can be during the long summer days.

"(Our) new motto, 'we've been putting in that pain,' and I feel like the summer has been good," Douglas said, later explaining the meaning behind the new phrase.

"We're just working out, and one of my boys was like, 'Oh, this that pain.' Like, yeah, this is that pain. So you know, so I always been saying, you know, we gotta put in that pain, so later we had that joy. So I'm putting that pain now so you know later, end of this year, that's when that joy comes."

Early returns from camp have been in Douglas' favor. He's stood out during the first two practices in shells, and was working with the starters during the walkthrough on Monday. Ultimately, Douglas isn't dejected by the added bodies in the room. Instead, he says it just makes the team better.

"That makes the room better," Douglas said. "The depth that we have, and man, the competition, man, it just makes the next person better. ... Since last year, you know, our room been stacked, and I feel like that's been making the next person better."

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