Phillip Dorsett gets Tom Brady's blessing, but can young WR make most of his opportunity?

FOXBOROUGH — You want an indication that things are going well for a young wide receiver in the Patriots’ offense? He gets an invite to join Tom Brady’s side sessions.

Usually held while the rest of the offensive skill position players are assisting with special teams work, it’s a sign Brady could have big things in store for you. That’s why it was notable that the 25-year-old Phillip Dorsett — who was acquired just before the start of the 2017 season in a deal with the Colts — got a coveted invite during the first training camp session of the summer on Thursday morning.


On Thursday, Dorsett was joined on multiple occasions by the quarterbacks, as well as high-profile offensive options like Julian Edelman, James White and Rob Gronkowski. The youngster certainly didn’t look overwhelmed in the side sessions, as he worked more of the intermediate and deep routes with the quarterbacks. (At one point, it looked like he was getting some tutelage from Edelman on some comeback routes.) Dorsett kept that good level throughout the 11-on-11 sessions on Thursday, coming away with nice grabs from Brady and backup Brian Hoyer while working in the slot and on the boundary.

The biggest takeaway? It would appear Dorsett has a sizable opportunity to make his mark as a deep threat in the New England passing game in 2018. Brandin Cooks and Danny Amendola both departed in the offseason, and while Chris Hogan and Gronkowski have put up impressive yards per catch numbers over the years, Dorsett’s speed makes him unique. You toss in the fact the Patriots will be without Edelman the first four games, and remember that Hogan and Dorsett are the only two receivers left that had any sort of impact last season, and you might not blame him for getting a little confident about his chances.

But Dorsett can’t let himself take a peek at a depth chart, even if the numbers might be trending in his favor.

“I don’t pay attention to any of that,” he told Bostonsportsjournal.com when he was asked about a growing level of opportunity because of the offseason moves. “I just know what I have to do on the field. If I do what I know I need to do on the field, I feel like everything else will work itself out.”