There are tonnes of discussions in regard to the wide receiver battle, especially around the dynamic looking Efton Chism III, but what about tight ends, and what is the knock on effect of all these tough receiver choices?
Currently, as I write this article, the Patriots have seven tight ends on the roster. They did have one official fullback, but Brock Lampe was placed on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury. By being placed on IR, he will be forced to miss the entire 2025 season, unless he is waived by the Patriots with an injury settlement, and so Josh McDaniels may be looking elsewhere in the tight end room if he wants that proper FB back on his roster.
You all know of veteran Hunter Henry, heading into his fifth season with the Patriots and could quite easily be branded the QB binky with his dependability. Unarguably the TE2 on this roster is Austin Hooper. Another seasoned vet of 10 years in the NFL, heading into his second year on the Patriots.
So that’s TE1 and TE2, what about 3, and dare I say… 4?
We have number 88, 6’2 and 241 pound Jahiem Bell, selected by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2023 draft. Bell played in 15 games in 2024, a key piece of the special teams unit, which is usually the best way for tight end to get his foot in the door, and finished the season with 2 receptions for 20 yards.
Jack Westover has the high honour of number 87 on his back, and is a name that has been popping up in preseason plenty. Also in his second year, Jack comes in at 6’2 and 245 pounds, played in three games, mostly on special teams in 2024, and is looking like a decent blocker who McDaniels could perhaps turn to as that coveted FB many of us are longing for on the roster sheet. Westover played in 52 career games at the University of Washington, and recorded 46 receptions as a redshirt senior, the fourth most in a single season by a UW tight end.
CJ Dippre sports number 82, and was signed this May as a rookie free agent. CJ played 52 career games with 37 starts and stacked up a total of 65 catches for 782 yards and 3 touchdowns. CJ is definitely a bigger bodied TE in this current group hitting 6’5 and 256 pounds.
Gee Scott Jr was the second tight end rookie free agent the Patriots picked up this year, and the rookie spent five years with Ohio State, converting to tight end after his first year as a wide receiver. Scott comes in at 6’3 and 240 pounds, and presently wears number 80.
Bringing up the rear, so to speak, is a guy that may have flown beneath your radar who sports number 49 (not my favourite when it comes to TE numbers). Previously of the Las Vegas Raiders, Cole Fotheringham only signed with the Pats July 30th, but he has already played plenty of snaps in the recent preseason games. Cole originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Raiders May 2022 out of Utah, and spent his first two seasons (2022-23) on the Raiders practice squad before being elevated for two games late in the season. Fotheringham bounced from Vegas to Houston and Denver in practice squad roles before the 6’4” 245 pounder hit New England this summer.
And because I simply cannot get enough of tight endage, here are the snap counts for the five tight ends vying for those precious roster spots:
Pre Season game 1 against the Washington Commanders
| Offence snaps | Special teams | targets | receptions | yards | |
| Fotheringham | 18 | 1 | – | – | – |
| Scott Jnr | 18 | – | – | – | – |
| CJ Dippre | 15 | 5 | – | – | – |
| Westover | 13 | 10 | – | – | – |
| Bell | 9 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 18 |
Pre Season game 2 against the Minnesota Vikings
| Offence snaps | Special teams | targets | receptions | yards | ||
| Fotheringham | 31 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |
| Scott Jnr | 13 | – | – | – | – | |
| CJ Dippre | 23 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Westover | 23 | 3 | – | – | – | 1 tackle on ST |
| Bell | 9 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
With the deadline for roster cut down approaching, it really is all eyes on the pass catchers, whichever type you prefer! Go Pats!