FOXBORO, Mass. — Of all the New England Patriots training camp battles, maybe none are more wide open than at wide receiver.
With Julian Edelman and N’Keal Harry seemingly the only true locks at the position, a mix of others — including Phillip Dorsett, Maurice Harris, Dontrelle Inman (and maybe Danny Etling) — will be competing for the remaining spots.
It’ll be fascinating to watch unfold, especially since working oneself’s way into Tom Brady’s circle of trust is a pretty good way to get on the roster.
Following Day 1 of training camp Thursday, Phillip Dorsett, now entering his fifth NFL season and third with the Pats, addressed the competition.
“I mean, there’s competition every day, there’s competition at every position, there’s always competition,” Dorsett said. “It’s camp. It’s football too, it’s a competitive sport and that’s the best thing about it. If you love competition, you’re in the right sport.”
When asked how to ensure he doesn’t try to do too much in an attempt to stand out, Dorsett offered a pretty candid outlook on the tough realities of training camp.
“I would say you’ve always got to work on the things that you do well, but I would say the biggest thing for me is work on (my) weaknesses to help (me) become a more complete receiver,” Dorsett said. “Like I said before, there’s competition every day. It’s camp. you just go out there and try to put your best foot forward, you try to control what you can control, and if you don’t make the team, you don’t make the team. If you do, you do. At the end of the day you’ve just got to go out here and try to carve a role for yourself. Like I said before, life goes on.”
Though Dorsett hasn’t been one of Brady’s top targets in his first two seasons in New England, the 26-year-old nonetheless has been an important contributor. He has a pretty good opportunity in front of him, and it sounds like he’s relishing the chance to compete for the best possible role.
