Patriots WR Kyle Williams Has Opportunity to Overcome Training Camp Snap Count

FOXBORO --- When the New England Patriots took the field for Monday's 90-minute walkthrough, the crowded receiver room split into two groups. The top six wideouts -- A.J. Brown, Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Efton Chism III -- went with the starting offense.

One name that didn't get included and was working with the backups? Kyle Williams, who's entering his second season after scoring three times as a rookie. Williams was the seventh wide receiver on the depth chart, according to how the offenses shook out.

It hasn't been the greatest summer for Williams, who put on some weight this offseason to try and bulk up. But his snap count in training camp hasn't reflected the work he put in. He's been behind all six of those players in what should be a summer of growth.

Williams, though, isn't pouting. Instead, his spirits remain sky-high.

"It’s just, control the controllables," Williams told reporters after Tuesday's practice. "A lot of things (are) out of my control, and when I get a chance to be able to control those things, I try to make the most of it. But I don’t really have expectations. I just show up every day, ready to take advantage of the opportunities given to me."

Williams worked as New England's speedster last year, but didn't really contribute in bunches. He caught three touchdowns, including one that helped spur a comeback against the Baltimore Ravens on national television, but he only mustered up 10 total catches.

Jul 28, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams (18) runs after making a catch during training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There was plenty of room to grow, which is why Williams tried to get bigger. The goal was to become more physical in his route running and bring more to the offense than just his blazing speed.

"Definitely my physicality at the top of routes, off-the-line releases," Williams said about what's different about him in 2026. "I definitely feel confident in that. There’s obviously more room for improvement, but those are things that I feel a lot more confident in than last year."

Williams Can Rewrite Shaky Start To Training Camp

The opportunities haven't been as flush as Williams might have hoped. Drake Maye is trying to build a chemistry with Brown and Doubs, and both slot receivers in Douglas and Chism have shined in their larger roles. Additionally, Boutte has become the best overall player in camp through four practices.

It's been hard for Williams to make a dent in a wide receiver room that already has 11 players, even though he's a year removed from being drafted in the third round.

But he can easily bounce back. The physicality that he spent the offseason working on can help hi do that. The team is getting ready to put pads on for the first time this summer, which will give Williams a major chance to earn his spot -- wherever that may be in the offense.

"Obviously, the more you can do, the more opportunities given," Williams said. "So for me, a big thing that I was trying to emphasize this year was expanding my role. I wanted to be able to move from slot to outside, and be able to have those opportunities to expand and show off my different skill sets."

Williams was an offseason award winner for the Patriots, and while he might not be racking up the receptions during competitive team drills just yet, he'll have that chance soon enough.

After all, the 23-year-old flashed his abilities as a rookie. Now with his back against the wall and the pressure to make the roster on the horizon, Williams has the chance to bring out his competitive side to camp.

"I mean, iron sharpens iron at the end of the day," he said. "So when you’ve got guys like AJ, Pop (Douglas), Mack, I mean, from the top down, these dudes can play. So it just forces you to come out here and compete at a higher level and not have no slack in your game."

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