Whilst it’s no secret that the Patriots are in dire need of some wide receiver talent, it appears that my most favoured position may be falling a little under the radar, but is perhaps a sneaky need of address on this Patriots offense.
As we head into the 2025 NFL season the tight ends signed to the Patriots are a touch on the lopsided.
The magnificent Hunter Henry (okay, some mild bias here) signed a three-year $27 million contract extension that takes him up until 2026 as possibly the Pats TE1. So that’s all great and good. He was a binky for Mac Jones and put up career high numbers back in 2021 under Josh McDaniels, and appeared to be a go to for the rookie Drake Maye in 2024 with 66 receptions, 694 yards and 2 touchdowns. Not earth-shattering I’ll grant you, but solid, sturdy, dependable, available… all those buzzwords that aren’t exciting but that I will take in many of my team’s players every day and twice on Sundays.
Seventh round draftee Jaheim Bell is signed through to 2027 and spent virtually all of his rookie season as TE3 behind the aforementioned Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper – more on him later. Bell only registered 2 passes for 20 yards, but as is quite usual for a later round draft pick rookie, he spent the majority of his time on special teams.
Two names you may not be familiar with signed through the 2025 season, are Jack Westover and Giovanni Ricci. Westover, a rookie free agent, arrived on the practice squad in October 2024 and played only three games, mostly on special teams and registered no statistics. It wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to believe if he sticks around that he will be more of a practice squad addition than much else.
Ricci has a little more substance to his story and brings five NFL seasons experience to the team with 36 games, as well as some whispers of positional flexibility. 6 foot 4, 195 pounds Ricci has lined up as both a tight end and a fullback. There’s the F word that gives some of you tingles, and with the return of the Mc…Daniels, someone who has been known to favour a fullback on his offense, Ricci could be a more flexible TE3 on the active roster.
So, from that we could glean that the Patriots have Mr TE1 in Hunter Henry, and whilst it’s one of those long shot type things, there are two candidates for TE3 in Ricci or Bell. But what about that second tight end needed for all that sexy 12 personnel that McDaniels is going to run? (Okay, okay, that I hope he runs).
It feels that the re-signing/extending of 6 foot 4, 254 pound Austin Hooper should be a no-brainer. A veteran who was a starter-level contributor, Hooper built a good connection with rookie quarterback Drake Maye, and completed the season as one of the Patriots most productive pass catchers; 45 receptions for 476 yards and 3 touchdowns.
The downside in the (possibly) top two guys of Henry and Hooper, is that they are both 30 years old, and whilst I feel ridiculous saying 30 is old, it’s getting up there when it comes to the versatility and physicality of the position of tight end. So, whilst an investment in Hooper is necessary now, in my humble opinion of course, the investment in some youth from a stacked tight end draft this year is also imperative to create that future success the Patriots should now be chasing. Whilst I don’t regret the pickup of the awesome Christian Gonzalez, 2023 was stacked with tight endage and the Patriots missed… all of them.
So, whilst the onus should definitely be upon securing that offensive line, finding that top wide receiver, and making the defense strong again, the future of the tight end should still be on the radar!
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