The Patriots are currently sitting with a surplus of wide receivers on their 53-man roster.

After signing Jalen Reagor to the 53-man roster, the Patriots are sitting with seven wide receivers on their active roster. That’s leading to some questions from fans about what the team has planned for the future.

Let’s get into questions about JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, future needs and more in this week’s mailbag.

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@STwithScott
Is there any indication Juju will be used more? Any thing on the Patriots pursuing receiver help before the trade deadline?

I think, if anything, there’s an indication that Smith-Schuster will be used less.

Smith-Schuster plays the “Z” and slot roles in the Patriots’ offense. They can’t take Kendrick Bourne, their primary “Z” receiver, off of the field. He’s their most consistent pass catcher. If anything, rookie slot receiver Demario Douglas has only earned more snaps after last week’s win over the Bills.

Then the Patriots still have to figure out spots and snaps for DeVante Parker, their starting “X” receiver, Reagor, who cut into Parker’s snaps last week and was signed to the 53-man roster this week, Tyquan Thornton, who played limited snaps last week in the “Z” role, and Kayshon Boutte, another “X” receiver who has been a healthy scratch since Week 1.

It feels unlikely that the Patriots would dress more than five wide receivers. Boutte seems like a safe bet to continue to be inactive. Then the team has to decide on one more inactive between Parker, Reagor, Thornton and Smith-Schuster. Thornton feels like the most likely option based on his snap count last week.

Then again, Douglas and Smith-Schuster were both limited throughout last week in concussion protocol. Douglas played, and Smith-Schuster did not. We’ll keep a close eye on inactives Sunday to find out which two receivers sit.

As for a potential trade, I don’t really see it. I know Raiders wide receiver Hunter Renfrow looks like a good fit on paper, but the same was said about his play style in Josh McDaniels’ offense, and that has been a disaster. The Patriots also already have a much cheaper slot option in Douglas, who you don’t want to take off of the field.

@KaratesBadBoy31
Has Jalen Reagor really been THAT good in practices?

I had heard even before his Week 2 elevation that he had been impressive in practice and that his speed was really jumping out to the team.

So, yes. I still want to see him contribute with more than one catch before I believe he’ll make a major impact, but it’s worth seeing if he can add some big-play ability while cutting into Parker’s snaps.

@Dcon64
Why can’t Tyquan Thornton get open or have an actual role, seems like Reagor has already passed him on the depth chart

It’s wise to temper any expectations for Thornton.

He played 25 snaps and caught one 6-yard pass on two targets in his season debut Week 6. And then he played three snaps in Week 7.

And yeah, they play slightly different roles, but it does seem like Reagor passed him on the depth chart. It is easier to find playing time at the “X” role, where Parker plays, rather than cutting into Bourne’s snaps in the “Z” position, though.

There’s really no guarantee that Thornton will even be active in Week 8.

@DomDoesNFL
Hey Doug, as always hope you’re doing well.

During the off-season Deandre Hopkins came to visit, with all the rumors of his availability, do you see the Patriots taking another swing at acquiring him?

I actually had this thought after the Titans traded Kevin Byard, but I would be very surprised. The time to acquire him was before they started the season 2-5.

@heardjuuhomie
Have they realized throwing it to Mondre is key to success yet or not

It is definitely smart to get the running backs more involved in the passing game.

Throwing to Stevenson wasn’t a very efficient play prior to Week 8, however. Take out Stevenson’s 32-yard catch and run in Week 7, and he’s averaging just 5.9 yards per catch.

@AdamHBeasley
Will they beat the Dolphins?

Good question here from a Miami-based reporter.

I’d throw it back at you, Adam, and ask, “Is Tyreek Hill playing?”

It feels like anything is on the table after last week’s win over the Bills, but I’d still predict a Dolphins victory.

@Mark_1878_
Looking forward to the 2024 season. What is a greater priority in the draft/free agency, pass protection or offensive weapons? #MailDoug

Quarterback is No. 1 until Mac Jones continues to prove that last Sunday’s performance was for real.

Then I’d put pass protection No. 2 and offensive playmakers No. 3.

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FOXBORO — Down in Miami, the big story of the week broke Thursday when Dolphins star Tyreek Hill told reporters he planned to play this weekend against the Patriots.

In New England, the Pats’ top news hit a little differently.

That headline read: “Patriots sign Jalen Reagor from practice squad to active roster.”

Womp, womp.

No two stories could offer a clearer or stronger contrast between the state of these rival offenses. The Patriots are 2-5 because they’ve bogged down by a porous offensive line and one of the league’s least threatening receiving corps. Meanwhile the Dolphins, even after getting thumped last Sunday in Philadelphia, are cruising at 5-2 with the NFL’s most explosive weaponry.

In Miami, Hill is the system, and the system is Hill. He leads the NFL in receiving with 906 yards and covers hundreds more in pre-snap motion that stretches defenses. If he retired tomorrow, Hill could safely begin to draft his speech for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2029 induction ceremony.

Reagor, meanwhile, is seen as a first-round bust. After two months in New England, he drew praise from Bill Belichick mid-week for the yards he’s covered on scout team. Reagor’s promotion came after the Patriots exhausted his three allowable elevations from the practice squad to the game-day roster.

In three game appearances, he has two catches. The Pats are officially on Plan Z at receiver.

Yet the more interesting piece of Reagor’s promotion is not the player, but the numbers crunch. The Patriots now roster seven wide receivers, including six who don’t play special teams. None of the seven were listed on Thursday’s injury report, making it unlikely any land on injured reserve in the coming days.

Considering the Pats typically activate five receivers on game days, two should be destined to become healthy scratches for the foreseeable future.

That’s a lot of dead weight to carry, especially in light of more information that’s emerged in recent days: JuJu Smith-Schuster rated as the worst receiver in the NFL per ESPN analytics; DeVante Parker has one catch in each of the last two games; Tyquan Thornton has two catches on the season.

Rookie wideout Kayshon Boutte, who famously tapped one of his feet, but not both, at the end of the season opener, is already a professional healthy scratch. He’s missed the Patriots’ last six games. Reagor’s addition seems to have made Boutte redundant, considering both play the same ‘X’ position, where players are asked to win in isolation on the weak side of offensive formations.

How long can the Patriots carry on like this? It’s like stocking your shelves with bad food (Smith-Schuster and Parker), cans you can’t open (Thornton) or ingredients you already have (Reagor and/or Boutte). Couldn’t the Pats use one or two of these spots on positions thinned out by injury, like defensive tackle or outside linebacker?

Another move must be coming.

Did the Pats pad their depth knowing they would deal Kendrick Bourne by Tuesday’s trade deadline?

Patriots’ first-round pick being helped by ‘mirror check’ and practice reps

Bourne is their No. 1 receiver by targets, catches, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Trading him now would mean selling high. Bourne admitted last week the possibility of getting dealt is weighing on him.

“Definitely will be on my mind, but just being ready for whatever man,” Bourne said. “I want to be here, I love to be here, but if there are other plans then it is what it is.”

NFL executives have told the Herald he should fetch a fifth or sixth-round pick on the open market. If the Patriots lose Sunday, there’s no reason not to announce themselves as sellers at the deadline. It’s time for a rebuild, and Bourne is among their top assets, alongside safety Kyle Dugger, pass rusher Josh Uche and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu.

Might the Patriots find a way to part with Smith-Schuster?

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No team is trading for him. Releasing Smith-Schuster outright would cost them millions in cap space, room they don’t presently have. Not to mention, the ever cheap Pats aren’t ones to flush cash down the drain, even if Smith-Schuster’s nagging knee injury has already made him and his three-year, $25.5 million contract a sunk cost.

The Patriots’ most likely out comes next summer via trade. That also goes for Parker, who’s soured faster than a cup of milk left out in the Miami heat. Even then, they may find no suitors.

The only certainty seems to be another receiver transaction will come first.

It has to, right? Right?

Right?!

Junior AJ Penet rushed 24 times for 315 yards with six TDs as Dedham took down Millis 43-14 in Tri-Valley League football play.

FIELD HOCKEY

Megan Smith netted a hat trick as Case (13-1-1) took down South Coast Conference opponent Westport 3-1.

Ellie Bouchard’s hat trick combined with a goal and two assists from Amelia Blood to lead Uxbridge over Nashoba, 5-1, in the CMADA Class A Tournament semifinals.

In a nonleague tilt, Karissa Albin collected two goals and two assists while Julie Pacheco added two goals and an assist as Somerset Berkley (16-0-1) rolled to a 9-0 win over Plymouth South. … Lilah Caplan posted the shutout in goal, while Sawyer Groothius and Meg Baran scored the goals for Swampscott in a 2-0 win over Bishop Fenwick. … Kayla McKenzie scored a hat trick for Waltham, leading a 4-1 win over Saugus.

In a Hockomock League game, Haley Wernig finished with a goal and three assists to eclipse 100 points and lead Franklin (17-0-1) to a 9-1 win over North Attleboro.

Grace Haskell scored twice and dished an assist, Natalie Murphy added two goals and seven different players scored for Dartmouth (16-0) in a 9-0 Southeast Conference win over Brockton.

Seniors led the way for Belmont in a 6-1 Middlesex League win over Lexington, as Lola Rocci and Carly Gaziano each scored two second-half goals and Tess DeSantis dished four assists.

BOYS SOCCER

In the Hockomock League, Tommy Lomuscio scored in the 75th minute as King Philip edged Taunton 2-1. … Garrett Scagliarini found the back of the net twice as Franklin (13-0-5) blanked Milford, 3-0.

Mason Coughlin potted the only goal for Essex Tech in a 1-0 Commonwealth Athletic Conference win over Mystic Valley. … Samuel Lucena finished with four goals as Greater Lowell (13-2-1) blanked Greater Lawrence, 6-0.

In a nonleague matchup, Rowan Jensen recorded a goal and an assist to lead Apponequet (6-10-1) to a 2-1 win over Middleboro.

Senior Matt McAuliffe tallied two goals as Pembroke (13-1-1) defeated Plymouth South 6-1 in a Patriot League tilt. … Three points from both Pat Moore (two goals, assist) and Jack Corby (goal, two assists) powered Plymouth North in a 4-0 win over Whitman-Hanson.

Gabriel Reis netted a pair as Somerville defeated Greater Boston League foe Chelsea, 4-0. … Behind a goal and an assist from senior Ben Martin, Medway gutted out a 3-2 win over Bellingham in Tri-Valley League play.

David Muir finished off a feed from Jared Simoneau for the game-winner, boosting North Andover over Chelmsford, 2-1, in a Merrimack Valley Conference affair.

In the South Coast Conference, Patrick Barros had a hat trick as Durfee defeated Fairhaven 5-3.

GIRLS SOCCER

Georgia Robarts scored twice and Kiersten Higgins had two assists as North Reading blanked Malden Catholic 5-0 in nonleague play. … Senior Morgan Hayward had two tallies as Apponequet (16-1-2) took down Middleboro 4-1.

In a Commonwealth Athletic Conference contest, Emily Sandelli recorded a pair of goals while Tyra Medina added two goals and an assist to power Greater Lowell (12-2-1) to a 6-1 victory over Shawsheen. The win clinched the CAC title for the Gryphons.

In the Cape and Islands League, Karah Deveau had two goals and an assist while Mackenzie Bowers added a goal and two assists as Monomoy defeated Falmouth Academy 5-1.

Hat tricks from Anya Zub and Gwen Holland, as well as Selene Hammad’s four points (two goals, two assists), bolstered Franklin to a 13-0 Hockomock League win over Milford. … Lucinda Li Cotter’s goal within the opening two minutes was all the Oliver Ames (13-3) defense needed to hold onto a 1-0 win over Foxboro, as Janiya Matier-Morales’ six saves were critical toward securing the Davenport division title.

Chloe McGinty buried the lone goal and Jackie McGonigle had eight saves to lead Braintree past Milton, 1-0, in a Bay State Conference tilt. … Sophia Foley finished with a hat trick and Natalie Mutschler recorded her 12th shutout of the season to lift Hanover past Quincy, 7-0 in Patriot League action.

Autumn Dwyer’s goal off a Audrey Toce header paired with a resilient defensive effort as Billerica edged Central Catholic 1-0 in Merrimack Valley Conference action.

VOLLEYBALL

In nonleague action, Charlotte Sullivan compiled 14 kills and three digs as Barnstable (17-3) swept North Quincy 3-0. … Julia Webster touched down 14 kills for Bishop Feehan in a 3-0 win over Oliver Ames, withstanding Sarah Hilliard’s 19 kills that put her over 1,000 for the Tigers.

Eva Burke dished 28 assists, including 10 to Greta Sachs to help Marblehead (7-11) outlast Swampscott, 3-2, in Northeastern Conference play. … Fiona Bailey had 10 kills for King Philip (12-8) in a well-balanced, 3-0 Hockomock League win over Mansfield.

THURSDAY’S  SCORES

BOYS CROSS COUNTRY

CATHOLIC CENTRAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

Bishop Feehan 29, 2. Archbishop Williams 54, 3. Bishop Stang 78, 4. St. Mary’s 93, 5. Bishop Fenwick 145, 6. Arlington Catholic 178, 7. Cardinal Spellman 187

GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY

CATHOLIC CENTRAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

Bishop Feehan 32, 2. Bishop Fenwick 54, 3. Archbishop Williams 61, 4. St. Mary’s 121, 5. Arlington Catholic 144, 6. Bishop Stang 160, 7. Cardinal Spellman 183

FIELD HOCKEY

Acton-Boxboro 6, Bishop Feehan 0

Belmont 6, Lexington 1

Case 3, Westport 1

Carver 3, Plymouth South 0

Dartmouth 9, Brockton 0

Lynnfield 3, Hamilton-Wenham 0

Methuen 2, Tewksbury 2

North Andover 3, Westford Academy 3

Norwell 4, East Bridgewater 0

Reading 4, Winchester 0

Somerset Berkley 9, Plymouth North 0

Sutton 1, Tyngsboro/Dracut 0

Swampscott 2, Bishop Fenwick 0

Uxbridge 5, Nashoba 1

Waltham 4, Saugus 1

Watertown 7, Wakefield 0

West Bridgewater 3, Old Rochester 1

Wilmington 2, Burlington 0

FOOTBALL

Chelsea 19, Somerville 6

Dedham 43, Millis 14

Norton 23, Medway 6

St. Mary’s 40, Archbishop Williams 28

BOYS SOCCER

Abington 3, West Bridgewater 0

Apponequet 2, Middleboro 1

Brookline 2, Framingham 0

Concord-Carlisle 4, Bedford 0

Dedham 2, Dover-Sherborn 0

Durfee 5, Fairhaven 3

Duxbury 0, Marshfield 0

Essex Tech 1, Mystic Valley 0

Franklin 3, Milford 0

Greater Lowell 6, Greater Lawrence 0

Hanover 4, Quincy 0

Hingham 6, Silver Lake 1

Hopkinton 3, Holliston 2

King Philip 2, Taunton 1

Mansfield 1, Canton 0

Masconomet 3, Pentucket 0

Medway 3, Bellingham 2

Monomoy 4, Falmouth Academy 1

Nantucket 6, Cape Cod Academy 1

Nauset 5, Bridgewater-Raynham 2

Needham 3, Walpole 0

North Andover 2, Chelmsford 1

North Reading 4, Triton 0

Oliver Ames 8, Foxboro 0

Pembroke 6, Plymouth South 1

Plymouth North 4, Whitman-Hanson 0

St. John Paul II 3, Rising Tide 0

St. John’s (S) 2, Central Catholic 1

Somerville 2, Haverhill 0

Tech Boston 7, Madison Park 0

Tewksbury 1, Methuen 0

Westford Academy 2, Waltham 1

GIRLS SOCCER

Acton-Boxboro 5, Lincoln-Sudbury 0

Apponequet 4, Middleboro 1

Attleboro 1, North Attleboro 1

Billerica 1, Central Catholic 0

Braintree 1, Milton 0

Bridgewater-Raynham 0, Nauset 0

Canton 2, Mansfield 2

Chelmsford 1, North Andover 1

East Bridgewater 3, West Bridgewater 3

Franklin 13, Milford 0

Grafton 2, Wayland 0

Greater Lowell 6, Shawsheen 1

Hanover 7, Quincy 0

Hopkinton 5, Holliston 2

Malden 1, Peabody 1

Monomoy 5, Falmouth Academy 1

Natick 4, Wellesley 0

Newburyport 4, Georgetown 0

Newton North 3, Weymouth 0

North Reading 5, Malden Catholic 0

Norton 1, Dighton-Rehoboth 0

Oliver Ames 1, Foxboro 0

Plymouth North 0, Whitman-Hanson 0

St. John Paul II 4, Rising Tide 0

Whitman-Hanson 0, Plymouth North 0

BOSTON CITY LEAGUE SEMIFINALS

East Boston 2, O’Bryant 0

Latin Academy 10, Burke 1

VOLLEYBALL

Apponequet 3, Durfee 0

Atlantis Charter 3, Monomoy 0

Barnstable 3, North Quincy 0

Belmont 3, Wayland 0

Bishop Feehan 3, Oliver Ames 0

Covenant Christian Acad. 3, Gann Academy 2

Duxbury 3, Bourne 1

East Bridgewater 3, Middleboro 0

King Philip 3, Mansfield 0

Innovation 3, Assabet Valley 0

Marblehead 3, Swampscott 2

Milton 3, Braintree 1

Newton North 3, Weymouth 0

Norton 3, West Bridgewater 0

Norwell 3, Randolph 0

Norwood 3, Sharon 1

Salem 3, Beverly 2

Shawsheen 3, Dracut 0

Silver Lake 3, Quincy 1

Somerset Berkley 3, Bishop Stang 0

Wakefield 3, Watertown 0

Winchester 3, Medford 0