What Does Romeo Dobbs Do?

By Steve Atkinson 

Romeo Dobbs is probably the least effective wide receiver on the Patriots’ roster, aside from Kyle Williams. Last night, after AJ Brown went down with an ankle injury, the next guy up, Romeo Dobbs, was invisible — a non-factor and a complete disappointment on the field. From Kayshon Boutte in training camp to post-AJ Brown injury, Romeo Dobbs, Demario Douglas, and Mack Hollins have all been underwhelming. The Kayshon Boutte trade came back to haunt them after Brown got hurt. Drake Maye and Dobbs aren’t on the same page; I doubt Dobbs can adapt to the Josh McDaniels system.

Even during the summer, Dobbs was barely noticeable; it was always AJ Brown or Kayshon Boutte catching passes from Maye. So, maybe Boutte was upset about being traded since he had more money owed to him than Kyle Williams. Williams didn’t even see an offensive snap Wednesday night in Seattle. Here was Romeo Dobbs after the game.

 

“I just wasn’t locked in,” Dobbs told reporters. “That’s all. I mean, the video speaks for itself. I’ll be better moving forward.”

A wide-open pass that last year would have been caught by Stefon Diggs or Boutte was dropped by Dobbs. It’s wild how overnight they went from a good receiver group to basically nobody because Romeo Dobbs is just there, but nobody’s home.

Mike Vrabel on Romeo Dobbs

Well, I do not think Romeo’s [Dobbs] was a decision. I think his decision and his route and everything was over there; he just dropped the ball. That’s what happens in this league. Sometimes guys drop the ball, sometimes guys miss tackles, and we try to improve our focus. Decision-making, and again, when you are the quarterback or you have the ball in your hand, I think those things just get magnified and those decisions and the timings and all those other things. We’ve seen Drake Maye perform at an extremely high level, and I anticipate him continuing to do that and doing that as we move forward.

It’s on Drake Maye to elevate what’s around him now because that’s what great quarterbacks do—Mahomes, Brady, Allen, etc. Not so much Allen, but you know what I mean. Drake Maye will have to work with what he’s got, hopefully learn from that performance, and get Dobbs more involved. Dobbs looks absolutely lost, then sulking on the sidelines. The connection between Dobbs and Maye needs to improve, especially with AJ Brown probably out for a while already.