Demario Douglas took chunks out of defense in scrimmage return

Demario Douglas’s red non-contact jersey wasn’t the only reason he stood out on Friday.

The second-year receiver showed off his speed, making a variety of catches that boosted the Patriots’ offense.

From short outs to seam routes, Douglas was making plays on Friday. He ended the practice with a touchdown to cap an 11-play drive on a two-minute drill led by Jacoby Brissett.

Brissett said he’s enjoying having Douglas back after a hand injury limited his participation earlier in the camp.

“It’s been great. Honestly I’ve got to learn how to throw to a shorter guy a little bit more, but his explosiveness, what he can do in stretching the field is a weapon for us and we’re building that chemistry.”

“He’s a guy that loves football. You can tell. He pops off the tape, no pun intended. It’s a lot of fun having him in the huddle. His energy is contagious.”

Douglas said earlier in the week that the hand issue isn’t anything particularly serious. The Patriots allowed him to participate in scrimmages on Friday with the stipulation that he’s not allowed to be hit quite yet.

But, his presence alone was a game-changer for the offense which used him in motion and benefitted from his quickness.

“That’s just a guy that you’ve got to know where he is on the field,” safety Jabrill Peppers said. “Excellent speed, excellent change of direction. They can do a lot more when he’s on the field. That’s just another guy that you’ve got to be worried about.”

“It’s tough to cover him 1-on-1,” Peppers added. “Great spacial awareness, great zone awareness. He does a great job of attacking the leverage, breaking away from the leverage. So, he makes us better and he makes the offense better for sure.”

In total, Douglas grabbed five catches including a couple which could be counted as chunk plays.

“He definitely took a couple chunks out of the defense today,” Brissett said. “It’s all going to be predicated on how the games go and the defense and things like that. He has that ability to stretch the field and we’re trying to get everything we can out of every player.”