Damiere Byrd led the New England Patriots in snaps at receiver but didn’t have a single pass thrown his way in the team’s 21-11 win over the Miami Dolphins. He was on the field for 56 snaps, 88% of the offensive reps.

Byrd was largely a non-factor, in part because of an inability to separate and in part because of the context of the offense in Week 1.

With the Patriots focusing heavily on the running game, New England threw the ball just 19 times. They were able to rely on their running backs on both the ground and in the passing game, which was an encouraging development. Quarterback Cam Newton had a team-high 15 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns, as the Patriots rushed 42 times for 217 yards and three touchdowns as a team. Running backs James White and J.J. Taylor combined for four receptions and 34 yards.

And perhaps because Julian Edelman was limited in practice with a knee injury, the Patriots went conservative with his snap count. With no one making plays in the passing game, the Patriots may have felt like they had to run the ball at a high volume. It’s clear the Patriots want to avoid running the ball with Newton at such a high volume in the future. The team needs its receivers to step up.

Here’s a look at how the receiver snaps broke down:

Byrd: 56 snaps (88%), 0 targets
N’Keal Harry: 51 snaps (80%)
Julian Edelman: 37 snaps (58%)
Jakobi Meyers: 7 snaps (11%)

Not only did Byrd struggle on offense, but he muffed a punt, which led to his demotion as punt returner the next time out. Edelman took the job for one punt before the team put Byrd back on the field fielding punts.

It’s unlikely Byrd gets as many snaps in Week 2 after his lackluster performance. He brings a unique level of speed to a receiver group which doesn’t quite have a top-end burner. But that only goes so far.

Byrd got a major opportunity on Sunday, and perhaps out of necessity. His inability to do anything with that opportunity does not bode well for his role going forward. So as Edelman gets healthier, the Patriots will phase him in and, in turn, New England will likely diminish Byrd’s role. If Gunner Olszewski, who is on injured reserve, gets healthy, the Patriots may look toward him (and away from Byrd) when he returns after Week 3.

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The New England Patriots seem happy to see what Damiere Byrd has to offer with a prove-it deal during the 2020 offseason.

With the Arizona Cardinals in 2019, Byrd managed to put together a fairly productive season, considering he’d had difficulties making a 53-man roster since entering the league as a undrafted free agent in 2015. He has bounced around the NFL, with stops in Carolina and Arizona.

Byrd finished fourth in receiving yards behind receivers Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk and running back David Johnson for the Cardinals in 2019. Byrd had 32 catches for 359 yards and one touchdown in 11 games. He managed to stay above second-round pick Andy Isabella and veteran Pharoh Cooper on the depth chart.

Let’s break down Byrd’s deal with New England.

DURATION: One year
CASH: $1.52 million with $250,000 guaranteed in salary.
INTERESTING QUIRK? He has $600,000 tied up in bonuses.

Chances he makes the roster: 20%

New England has three players with solid standing at the receiver position: Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry and Mohamed Sanu. Past that, it’s anyone’s guess who makes the team. Jakobi Meyers is probably the fourth receiver. And Gunner Olszewski looks to be in the mix for the fifth (and likely final) spot. But Byrd will also be in competition with Marqise Lee, who seems like a strong competitor if he’s healthy. The Patriots didn’t add a receiver in the draft, but they signed UDFAs Will Hastings (who was Jarrett Stidham’s slot receiver at Auburn) and Jeff Thomas (who would’ve been drafted if not for character concerns). There’s something to like with each of them.

When Byrd first signed, he was a compelling projection. But the receiver position is crowded with a number of players with that same label.

What it means for Byrd

Byrd was the king of the slant route in Arizona’s offense. He did a little work with bubble screens and stop-routes. But that slant was his jam. Even with a limited route tree, you have to like that he managed 10 of his 32 catches on third down with a 76.9% catch rate — a positive sign of reliability. Byrd also has the speed (4.28-second 40-yard dash) to bust off a big play, but perhaps that’s because he often draws single coverage with that defender recognizing Byrd’s proclivity to catch the ball within 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. Even with the speed, he doesn’t seem to naturally create big plays.

Essentially, if Byrd wants to make the Patriots roster, he will have to prove he’s capable of more than he’s done in past destinations. He looks like he has the potential to be Phillip Dorsett in the offense, but surely, New England wants a little more than that. Otherwise, they would have re-signed Dorsett.

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Wide receiver Damiere Byrd became the New England Patriots’ first signed free agent from the outside this offseason.

Byrd, 27, spent his first three NFL seasons wit the Carolina Panthers and played last year with the Arizona Cardinals. He totaled his best numbers in Arizona after receiving 32 catches for 359 yards and a touchdown. Byrd has 44 career receptions for 488 yards and three touchdowns.

He joins a receiver corps that consists of Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Mohamed Sanu, Jakobi Meyers, Devin Ross and Quincy Adeboyejo. New England’s receiving corps is nowhere near elite compared to many teams in the NFL and the signing of Byrd doesn’t alleviate the fact that Tom Brady will no longer be the signal-caller.

He’ll provide the Patriots with elite speed, and the potential of growth is there after having a breakthrough season last year. Byrd’s 5-foot-9, 180 pound build makes him the ideal slot receiver for the Patriots’ offense. During his pro day at South Carolina, he clocked a blazing 4.28 40-yard dash and that speed is still prevalent.

Most importantly, Byrd returned both kicks and punts in the NFL at a reliable rate. He returned 12 punts with an average of 9.4 yards per return and 14 kicks with an average of 25.2 yards per return — including one touchdown.

The Patriots have a lot to figure out and the absence of Brady will be an extremely tough transition for the team. But, New England is low on cap space and needs to bring in coachable players who don’t demand top tier money.

Signing Byrd was a good start, but the team needs a lot more offensive firepower to compensate for losing the greatest quarterback in NFL history.

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