A Chestnut Hill product has touched down in Foxborough ahead of training camp. The New England Patriots signed former Boston College tight end Jeremiah Franklin following a workout on Thursday, according to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz . Unselected in the 2026 NFL draft, Franklin previously attended rookie minicamp at Gillette Stadium on a tryout basis in May. His circling back comes a day after the reigning AFC champions worked out six free agents, signing tight end Mitch Van Vooren and linebacker Riley Wilson while waiving fullback Brock Lampe. A corresponding move will follow to make room on a summer roster that currently stands north of 91 active players. Franklin started all 12 games as a senior in the ACC on the way to catching 49 passes for 506 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 244-pound UDFA appeared in 44 games during his Eagles career, including 30 starts, finishing with 93 receptions for 1,010 yards and six touchdowns altogether. New England ’s tight end depth chart lost veteran addition Julian Hill to season-ending injured reserve in June. Rising sophomore C.J. Dippre has since been placed on physically unable to perform to begin training camp. The position also includes captain Hunter Henry , rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin, as well as previous starting fullback Jack Westover . The first practice of Patriots training camp is set for 10:15 a.m. ET on Saturday
The New England Patriots are bringing in free agent tight end Thomas Odukoya for a workout as training camp approaches. Odukoya, who spent time on the Patriots' practice squad last season before suffering a broken leg, is now healthy and looking to rejoin the team. The Patriots have depth concerns at tight end due to injuries and other players on the PUP list
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry is still the team's unquestioned TE1 entering the 2026 season, even though the team added rookie Eli Raridon in April's draft, according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. Henry was below-average as a run-blocker last year, but he ranked seventh among TEs in receiving yards with a career-high 768 and had the second-most total EPA by a tight end at plus-72.4. The 31-year-old will once again be a trusted target for young quarterback Drake Maye as the two continue to develop strong chemistry. Raridon could be a possible successor to Henry and could have a big Year 1 role with New England, but as long as Henry is healthy, he'll be the Pats' top pass-catching TE. However, with the additions of receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, Henry is looking at a lower volume ceiling and floor in his sixth year in New England. Henry has had at least 419 receiving yards in all 10 of his NFL campaigns and is a solid red-zone target for Maye, but fantasy managers should target him as a midrange TE2 this year instead of a surefire TE1
While Henry returns as the Patriots' top tight end, slotting behind him on the team's depth chart has yet to be solidified following Julian Hill's season-ending knee injury, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports. Visit RotoWire.com for more analysis on this update
While Henry returns as the Patriots' top tight end, slotting behind him on the team's depth chart has yet to be solidified following Julian Hill's season-ending knee injury, Evan Lazar of the team's official site reports. As things stand, Eli Raridon, FB/TE Jack Westover, CJ Dippre and Tanner Arkin are in the mix for tight end targets that don't go Henry's way this season, though it's possible added depth is added at the position in the coming weeks. Henry is coming off a 2025 regular season in which he turned in a 60/768/7 receiving line on 87 targets in 17 regular-season games in 2025, and looking ahead to the coming campaign he's on track to maintain a steady weekly fantasy floor while working as a key weapon for QB Drake Maye in New England's passing game
The Patriots' training camp preview focuses on the offensive line and tight end positions, with notable mentions of Hunter Henry, Julian Hill, and Jared Wilson. Discussions also touch upon Mike Onwenu's overlooked value, Drake Maye's potential, and potential wide receiver pairings. Rookies Namdi Obiazor and Karon Prunty are highlighted for their potential impact, while Brenden Schooler is recognized for his special teams contributions. Marcus Jones is lauded as a dual-threat superstar, and a controversial ranking of Tom Brady is also discussed
Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire writes that the New England Patriots are "desperately clinging to hope" that rookie third-round tight end Eli Raridon "can contribute right out of the gate" in 2026. If Raridon doesn't look like he can handle TE2 duties behind starter Hunter Henry in training camp this summer, it "wouldn't be a surprise" to see the Patriots bring in a veteran at the position to boost the competition. As of right now, McElroy lists Raridon as the No. 2 TE behind Henry, with Tanner Arkin, Jack Westover, and CJ Dippre behind him. Raridon, 22, is a versatile option at the position with the ability to be a solid receiver and blocker. He has a clear path to rookie-year snaps with Julian Hill (knee) going on season-ending Injured Reserve and with Austin Hooper leaving in free agency to sign with the Atlanta Falcons. The 6-foot-6, 245-pounder needs to improve his blocking, but if he can do that, he could have a meaningful role in 2026. And if Henry were to go down with an injury, Raridon would gain lots of steam off the waiver wire in all fantasy football leagues
After a season-ending injury to tight end Julian Hill during a practice earlier this offseason, the New England Patriots became suddenly thin at the position without the new free-agent signing’s presence as a blocker. So much so that head coach Mike Vrabel acknowledged that’s a spot the team may need to bolster. “I think just from a numbers standpoint in camp, I think that’s somewhere we’ll probably have to evaluate the numbers,” Vrabel said during mandatory minicamp . “There are 90 guys, 91 guys on every team. So, we’ll just have to take a look at that, but I would say that’s probably somewhere we would have to address.” Minicamp ended on June 11, and with training camp now three weeks away, no move has been made yet. Some remaining free agents that fit Hill’s archetype are Will Dissly , Nick Vannett and Pharaoh Brown , who spent the 2023 season with the Patriots as a late-summer addition. Nonetheless, there’s a glaring need for reinforcement. Hill was brought in following the Austin Hooper departure to the Atlanta Falcons . Hooper was a short-to-intermediate receiving threat behind veteran Hunter Henry and was also a competent blocker. The 25-year-old Hill has the tools to fill a similar kind of role. He offers reliable blocking at the position, and Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf also showed confidence in him as a receiver. “Really kind of improved each year that he’s been in it,” Wolf said earlier this offseason. “And you know, we think there’s probably still some meat on the bone in the passing game as well for him, but certainly a physical tough guy at the point of attack.” But now, without Hill, New England may not have an immediate replacement available on its current roster. As of now, third-round NFL Draft selection Eli Raridon is the closest option to that versatile role; however, as a developmental prospect, he may need time to grow into it. Raridon struggled to find consistent playing time during his first two seasons at Notre Dame, nursing two torn ACLs on the same knee. It wasn’t until his senior season in 2025 that he found his footing, catching 32 passes for 482 yards. The rookie’s combination of size and athleticism is what makes Raridon such an intriguing tight end. At 6-foot-6 and 245 pounds with a 36-inch vertical leap, he has the traits to become a vertical threat up the seam and a reliable red-zone target for quarterback Drake Maye . Because of his natural ability as a pass catcher, it’s easy to envision Maye connecting with Raridon throughout 2026. Still, he’ll need to make considerable improvements as a blocker to prove he can assume a role similar to what Hill would’ve provided. Raridon is a willing blocker but needs to further develop his play strength and refine his technique. It’s not guaranteed that Raridon progresses enough to reliably fill a hybrid role as a blocker and receiver by the beginning of the season, and he may just start as a weapon for Maye. Adding another body provides insurance and stability; otherwise, the Patriots are relying on a largely inexperienced group. Jack Westover leads the group behind Henry in experience, entering his third season in the league and with the team. The 27-year-old was New England’s fullback in 2025, blocking out of the backfield, but has struggled blocking as an in-line Y-tight end. Westover is then followed by 2025 undrafted free agent C.J. Dippre, Raridon, and UDFA Tanner Arkin from Illinois. At 6-foot-4 and 262 pounds, Arkin has the physical tools and power to assume that duty. That said, he hasn’t had the opportunity to showcase that ability in the NFL with pads on yet. During minicamp, Henry spoke on Arkin’s development in the spring, saying that the rookie has been taking advantage of his opportunities and is someone who’s continued to improve. Vrabel also spoke similarly of Raridon at the time. “Willing, conscientious, wants to learn,” Vrabel said at minicamp of Raridon’s progress. “I think there
[... truncated ...]
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry was the TE7 in half-PPR formats in 2025, and with one of the league's most efficient offenses from a season ago potentially taking another step forward, he projects as one of the most mispriced tight ends in 2026 drafts. Frequently going undrafted outside of deep best ball formats, Henry's current ADP is stuck at TE19, which would represent his lowest end-of-season finish since 2022. With the Patriots allowing Austin Hooper to depart in free agency, they signed blocking specialist Julian Hill to a three-year deal and spent a third-round pick on Notre Dame's Eli Raridon. Since then, Hill tore his ACL during organized team activities, and the rookie looked noticeably slender compared to the rest of the position group and could take time to develop the play strength needed to earn an every-down role in what projects to be one of the more physical offenses in the league. Head coach Mike Vrabel specifically pointed to tight end as a position where he'd like to find additional depth, but it's unlikely that anyone added to the roster at this point would pose a serious threat to Henry's role after he paced all New England pass catchers in 2025 with more than 1,000 snaps across the regular season and playoffs. A trusted big-body target for Drake Maye in both the middle of the field and the red zone, Henry should provide a usable weekly floor at a position where that is often enough for fantasy, but he also boasts multi-touchdown upside and is a player who should not be fully dismissed in the late rounds of 2026 drafts
TEAM TALK Patriots Unfiltered: Latest team/league buzz, training camp storylines , FIFA World Cup. (2 hours) LOCAL LINKS Athlon Sports ‘ Patriots 2026 season preview: Expectations, offense, defense, specialists, analysis. Hector Longo gives 4 huge reasons to take stock in Mack Hollins with the Patriots in 2026. This WR may be overlooked but you can’t doubt his importance in Drake Maye ’s offense. Hector Longo spotlights Kyle Williams facing a brutal receiver battle , with six WRs standing between him and a Patriots roster spot in 2026. Hector Longo calls Hunter Henry ‘Drake Maye’s security blanket’ and says the Pats need him to hold up . Hector Longo writes how Milton Williams silenced his critics with three playoff sacks and 68 percent of postseason snaps. He wants the Patriots to finish the job in 2026. Evan Cormier relays Chad Graff (The Athletic) who explains why he is not a fan of the lofty contract New England gave to free agent WR Romeo Doubs . “Giving $17 million per year (more than Mike Evans and Cooper Kupp) to a player who has only reached 700 receiving yards once and never reached 800, …the Patriots are banking that the best is yet to come for Doubs.” Hector Longo offers six reasons why Romeo Doubs should find a different number with the Patriots. 1. There is only one true Patriots’ 87. Patriots On SI ranks the top 25 Patriots of 2026, No. 21: Position switch should help OL Jared Wilson . Ethan Hurwitz identifies several important Patriots entering contract seasons and if they’ll stay inn 2027. Ethan Hurwitz explains why ESPN’s Patriots offseason grade doesn’t make much sense . Craig Ellenport hears from a rival scout on how even though the Mike Vrabel-Dianna Russini saga has been a major offseason storyline in the media, Vrabel has full support from his players , and the story will disappear by the start of the season. Patriots Daily podcast: Taylor Kyles and Mike Kadlick react to the Patriots offensive weapons being ranked in the Top 10 in the NFL, plus where the rest of the AFC East ranks and more. (20 min.) NATIONAL NEWS Ben Solak (ESPN) 10 bold predictions for 2026 NFL season: Division winners, trades. Chiefs will miss the playoffs again, Texans win the AFC; More. Staff (ESPN) LeBron James, Serena Williams lead list of players who remained great late in their careers. Tom Brady included. Chad Reuter (NFL.com) Seven-round NFL mock draft, Round 1: Building a win-now team from active players for 2026 season. Patriots included. Bobby Kownack (NFL.com) Top 100 Players of 2026: Nos. 90-87 . No Pats. Frank Schwab (Yahoo! Sports) NFL offseason power rankings: No. 27 Las Vegas Raiders might finally have a plan, starting with Fernando Mendoza. EXTRACURRICULAR Garrett Podell (CBS Sports) Brendan Sorsby will not pursue path to NFL in 2026, QB to prepare for 2027 draft. Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Dianna Russini bodycam footage puts New York Times in an awkward spot. Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) New York Times reiterates its view that Dianna Russini’s handling of traffic stop was “unacceptable conduct.” /Insert eye-roll emoji here
It is Day 77 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff. We are looking back at the 100 most iconic games in Dallas Cowboys history. The countdown will leads us right up to the opening game of 2026. Our look back doesn’t depend on just one criteria for our rankings. We take into consideration things like how big the game was for the organization, how memorable the game was, games that had unusual events take place, games that are a part of NFL lore, Cowboys firsts, and games where the Cowboys just plain dominated. Variety is the spice of life and we have all different kind of Cowboys games to review. At the bottom, we’ll link each day of the countdown so you can go back and check out any you missed. We bring you to Day 77 of our 100-day countdown to kickoff, where we revisit one of the best regular-season thrillers of the Dak Prescott era. The Cowboys went to Foxborough in Week 6 of the 2021 season looking to validate their hot start against one of the NFL’s true legacy opponents. The Patriots were no longer the Tom Brady Patriots, but they were still Bill Belichick’s Patriots, and Dallas had not won in New England since 1987. The game started badly for Dallas. New England scored first on a four-yard Damien Harris touchdown run, and after Prescott answered with a one-yard touchdown pass to Blake Jarwin , rookie quarterback Mac Jones hit Hunter Henry for a 20-yard score. The Cowboys trailed 14-7 after the first quarter, and the frustration kept building because Dallas repeatedly moved the ball without finishing drives. The second quarter summed up the messy part of the day. Greg Zuerlein hit a 30-yard field goal, but Dallas wasted multiple red-zone chances. Prescott threw an interception in the end zone, and later, after Luke Gifford blocked a Patriots punt, Prescott lost a goal-line fumble while trying to dive over the pile. The Cowboys had outplayed New England in many ways, but they still trailed 14-10 at halftime. Dallas finally took its first lead in the third quarter when Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for a one-yard touchdown. From there, the fourth quarter turned into chaos. Zuerlein made a 45-yard field goal to put Dallas up 20-14, but New England answered with a Rhamondre Stevenson one-yard touchdown to retake the lead. Then Trevon Diggs did what Trevon Diggs did throughout 2021, jumped a Mac Jones throw and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. Dallas led 26-21, and it felt like the knockout punch. Things, however, were far from over. On New England’s very next offensive snap, Jones attacked Diggs on a double move and hit Kendrick Bourne for a 75-yard touchdown. The Patriots converted the two-point try, and suddenly Dallas was trailing 29-26 with just over two minutes left. Prescott calmly moved the Cowboys into range, helped by a 24-yard completion to Lamb, and Zuerlein’s 49-yard field goal with 20 seconds remaining forced overtime. In overtime, the defense gave Dallas the opening by forcing a New England punt. Prescott then led an 80-yard drive, and Lamb finished it in style. On the final play, Prescott hit Lamb crossing the field, Lamb turned upfield, outran the defense, and scored from 35 yards out. He waved goodbye as he crossed the goal line, and the Cowboys walked out of Foxborough with a win that felt like a national statement. Prescott was pure class, completing 36 of 51 passes for 445 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Lamb had the best game of his young career to that point, catching nine passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Dallas finished with 567 total yards, 32 first downs, and nearly 40 minutes of possession, which made the game closer than it should have been, but also made the final result feel earned after all the self-inflicted damage. This game belongs on the countdown because it had everything, Cowboys-Patriots history, Belichick mystique, red-zone drama, a blocked punt, Diggs’ pick-six, an immediate Patriots counterpunch, a tying kick in the final seconds, and a walk-off touchdown [... truncated ...]
Coach Mike Vrabel indicated that the Patriots plan to add to a tight end corps led by Henry before training camp, in the wake of the season-ending injury Julian Hill (knee) sustained during OTAs, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports. With Hill on IR and Austin Hooper now with the Falcons, 2026 third-rounder Eli Raridon is next up behind Henry on the depth chart, with CJ Dippre, Tanner Arkin and FB/TE Jack Westover also currently in the mix. Henry -- who is heading into the final season of the three-year deal he signed with New England in March of 2024 -- put up a 60/768/7 receiving line on 87 targets in 17 regular-season games in 2025. He's slated to remain a key target for rising young QB Drake Maye in 2026, a context that gives Henry a stable weekly floor from a fantasy perspective
Following the season-ending injury suffered by tight end Julian Hill , the Patriots have an opening on their eventual 53-man roster at the position. While head coach Mike Vrabel noted this spring the team will likely make an addition, options remain on the current roster behind Hunter Henry . Among them is undrafted free agent Tanner Arkin. “I think my mindset right now is to do everything I can, really,” Arkin said last Friday at Newton North High School following the team’s rookie football clinic. “I mean, I’m an undrafted rookie. I’ve been given a great opportunity, and I really just need to maximize it and show the team and the organization what I’m about. That’s my plan going forward.” Arkin profiles as a potential replacement for Hill due to his physicality and blocking ability. While he did not get to showcase that aspect of his game in non-padded spring practices, the Illinois product believes his skillset fits well in Josh McDaniels’ offense. “I do, definitely,” Arkin said. “I think we use a lot of different personnel [groupings] — fullback, multiple tight end sets — and just the history of Coach McDaniels and how he’s used the tight end position. I think it’s a great fit, and I love playing for him and for the team. It’s been great so far.” After conversations with New England , Arkin identified the Patriots as a strong landing spot after going undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. He joins a depth chart that features Henry, third-round pick Eli Raridon, and fellow depth options Jack Westover and C.J. Dippre. With training camp approaching, Arkin will have a legitimate opportunity to carve out a role in a room searching for answers behind Henry and next to Raridon. As he learns the offense and adjusts to life in the NFL, the rookie has leaned on the veteran leadership around him. “I think coming off of last year, there’s a lot of momentum and a lot of camaraderie on the offense,” he said. “Although there’s a lot of new faces, everybody seems really tight and everybody’s welcoming. There’s a bunch of great leaders on the offense, starting with Drake [ Maye ] and down the room to Hunter and the tight end room. “There’s just a lot of guys that have played a lot of football, and it seems like they know what’s going on. They lead by example, they set the tempo on the field, and as a rookie, I’m just trying to learn from them.”
Ranking the 25 most important Patriots for 2026: Nos. 25-21 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Editor’s note: Throughout the week, Phil Perry will share his rankings of the top 25 most important New England Patriots players for the 2026 season. Today, he kicks things off with Nos. 25 through 21. This year’s Patriots roster appears to be perhaps the most talented the team has had since it had the greatest quarterback of all time in its employ and was competing for Super Bowls on a regular basis. But who among the 91 players on this year’s roster are the most important? Not most talented. Not most likely to make a Pro Bowl. But most important ? In short, upon whom does this season ride? We know who the No. 1 player will be. But which of Drake Maye ’s teammates will fill out the remainder of the list? Let’s get to it, starting with the first five left out. We’ll then continue on in descending order: His speed is a real threat. And his ability to track the ball makes him more than a downfield decoy. But it’s a crowded receiver spot, and it may require an injury for Williams to be a weekly staple of this offense. Another wideout with plenty of physical talent, Douglas cracked the 20-snap mark in only five games last year out of 21 in the regular season and postseason combined. This year, the room is only more crowded. If he remains on the team, Boutte would likely deserve a spot inside the top 25 given his production with Drake Maye at quarterback a season ago. But it’s hard to envision the Patriots going into 2026 with all of these receivers remaining on their 53-man roster. Drafted in the third round this spring, it would come as little surprise if Raridon was able to work his way up to the No. 2 tight end role behind Hunter Henry . But he has some work to do before he’s the clear cut next in line behind the productive vet. Durden started six games for Mike Vrabel from Week 13 on. Along the interior of New England ’s defensive line, particularly on early downs, he’ll play a key role. The NFL is tight end obsessed at the moment because bigger and stronger offensive personnel packages can take advantage of smaller defenses that have built over time to stop explosive passes. As a fullback, Gilliam doesn’t provide a receiver skill set the way some tight ends do, but he can catch, and he’ll challenge opponents to make hard choices from a personnel standpoint thanks to his ability to steamroll opponents in the running game. Stack the box with linebackers to handle his strength? Drake Maye can throw over ’em. Stay light to prevent Maye from taking to the air? Josh McDaniels can make a call that allows Gilliam’s power at the point of attack to shine. The fullback position is slowly going extinct in the NFL. But in having one of the few who are proven, the Patriots will be a little harder to prepare for than most. Difficult choice here between Hollins and Kyle Williams. They are very different receivers, but I think both have an argument to be included on this list. Williams is a speed demon whose athleticism could cause problems for teams dead set on dedicating a safety over the top to A.J. Brown ’s side of the field. Can’t double everyone. And while Williams’ production as a rookie might not warrant that kind of attention just yet, his explosiveness on the outside means that all it takes is one completion to him to change a game. The reason we ultimately went with Hollins here is multifaceted. He was counted on a season ago to lead the receiver room in snaps (until his late-season injury) and make big catches on a consistent basis. His fellow Tar Heel, Maye, trusts him. But the size that makes Hollins a go-to target over the middle of the field also gives him the ability to be a functional blocker. He’s not a tight end, but at times he served almost in a tight end role: tight to the formation, digging out safeties in the running game. The Patriots are looking thin at the tight end spot after a season-ending injury
[... truncated ...]
The Patriots are looking to add veteran depth at tight end following the season-ending loss of Julian Hill. Hunter Henry is entering the final year of his contract, and rookie Eli Raridon is an unknown quantity. Potential free-agent targets include Pharaoh Brown and Will Dissly, while Colby Parkinson and Tyler Higbee could be trade targets. The team also needs to consider developmental players like C.J. Dippre, Tanner Arkin, and Peter Manuma for roster spots
It’s been over a week since New England Patriots tight end Julian Hill was placed on season-ending injured reserve just months after signing a three-year deal with the Patriots to pair up with veteran Hunter Henry . Now, New England may need to address the tight end room as the offseason continues, adding another body to the mix. “I think just from a numbers standpoint in camp, I think that’s somewhere we’ll probably have to evaluate the numbers,” head coach Mike Vrabel said before Wednesday’s mandatory minicamp practice . “There’s 90 guys, 91 guys on every team. So, we’ll just have to take a look at that, but I would say that’s probably somewhere where we would have to address.” However, a thin group of free agents remains at the position, including former Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith and recovering veterans Taysom Hill and Zach Ertz . Otherwise, New England would be picking from an already poached undrafted free agent class. Currently, the Patriots have just five rostered tight ends : Henry, hybrid tight end and fullback Jack Westover, who primarily played in the backfield last season, rookie Eli Raridon, 2025 undrafted free agent CJ Dippre and undrafted free agent Tanner Arkin, from Illinois. New England spent a third-round pick in the NFL Draft this offseason to select Raridon. At Notre Dame, the 22-year-old has 48 career receptions for the Fighting Irish, with 32 coming his senior season. Raridon could take on a larger role quickly this offseason to help replace Hill’s role in 2026. “Willing, conscientious, wants to learn,” Vrabel said of Raridon’s progress. “I think there’s a lot of new things that come in from college, and terminology is different, and there’s a lot of things that are new to him, but I would say that he picks things up quickly. When he’s able to play with the speed that he has available to him, that’s kind of shown up.” “With a lot of these young guys, just the terminology, the routes, the coverage, just try to eliminate [the thinking] and allow them to play as fast as possible. In the spring, it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s try to play out of control. Let’s play too fast.’ If you make a mistake, that’s fine, but we’ve got to start training that play speed.” Raridon largely spent his first two years at Notre Dame on the sidelines, nursing two right knee injuries, and had previously torn the same ACL twice. Still, he’s an intriguing prospect for the Patriots due to his ability to be a consistent pass-catcher for quarterback Drake Maye and be a vertical threat. “Eli’s doing a good job,” Hunter Henry said on Tuesday. “I know it’s a lot coming in the league, trying to blend in with older guys, younger guys. The pressure of it, obviously getting drafted. A lot of us have been through it, and I’ve been through it myself. He’s been a sponge, trying to soak up as much as he can in the room, asking questions. He’s getting better day by day, and I’m excited to continue to work with him.” Henry also mentioned Arkin as a young player who’s trying to learn and make the most of his opportunities. “Tanner’s been great,” Henry said. “When he gets his opportunities, he’s taking advantage of it. That’s all you can ask for as a young guy. He’s continued to get better. It’s the same thing: as a rookie, as a young guy, you kind of have to be a sponge, trying to soak up as much as you can, trying to ask questions when you can. But just try to watch and follow and learn as much as you can from just us in the room, [and] some of the other positions.”
Tuesday’s opening practice of mandatory minicamp marked the first time all offseason that the New England Patriots’ entire available roster was on the field together. And while all eyes were on returnees Christian Gonzalez and Kayshon Boutte , they were not the main characters once the session actually began. With that said, here are four players who caught our eyes from the Gillette Stadium practice fields. Also, for a comprehensive recap of the session, please head over to our Patriots minicamp notebook . QB Drake Maye : Out of his three practices in front of the media so far this offseason, Tuesday’s was Maye’s best. The third-year quarterback was efficient with the ball and in four competitive team periods completed 19 of 22 pass attempts, with one incompletion being an aborted play due to a blitz. He was decisive and accurate (especially over the middle of the field), spread the ball around well between his targets, and hit Hunter Henry and Rhamondre Stevenson on downfield touchdowns. “We have seen growth in a lot of players, especially some of the younger ones, which I would consider Drake going into his third year,” said head coach Mike Vrabel ahead of the session. “I think that Josh [McDaniels] and Ashton [Grant] have given him some really positive things to work on, some areas of focus, and being able to try to limit mistakes at the line of scrimmage.” WR A.J. Brown : Drake Maye’s newest weapon had a solid day, finishing with a pair of catches from the starting QB, including a touchdown on a high-point fade. More so than his actual performance, Brown’s usage caught our eye. He naturally was actively involved with the starters and upped his workload from his first week as a Patriot, but he also was part of an intriguing three-receiver package at one point that featured him at the Z with Kayshon Boutte as the X and DeMario Douglas in the slot. TE Hunter Henry: Henry has been a go-to target for Drake Maye throughout their two seasons together, and if Tuesday is any indication little is expected to change heading into 2026. The team captain was the starting offense’s busiest receiver, hauling in four catches including a deep touchdown on a corner route. As far as tight ends are concerned, the 31-year-old is unsurprisingly head and shoulders above the rest of the group. LG Alijah Vera-Tucker: The Patriots’ free agency signing continues to be on a rehabilitation timeline working his way back from a season-ending triceps injury. However, Tuesday saw him increase his participation: after not partaking in full-team drills during the two organized team activities open to reporters, he saw some reps at his left guard spot. There is no real judging his performance in a no-contact environment, but he nonetheless appears to be trending in the right direction. LB Robert Spillane : Spillane was the Patriots’ best linebacker in 2025 and a crucial piece of the defensive operation, but he did have some shortcomings in coverage. On Tuesday, those reared their ugly head again: the team captain was beat twice on identical corner routes, first against Hunter Henry and later by Rhamondre Stevenson. Credit where credit is due, the offense executed very well. However, a veteran like Spillane getting beat on the same concept twice within a few reps is also not what you want to see. CB Kindle Vildor: Even though he was present, Christian Gonzalez sat out competitive team drills. This allowed offseason pickup Kindle Vildor to see quality reps as an outside cornerback again, and the 28-year-old generally fared well. While he was beat by A.J. Brown on that touchdown mentioned earlier, he later got the better of the former All-Pro by providing tight coverage against a similar play. Other player worth highlighting are the aforementioned Kayshon Boutte (active involvement in his return) and DeMario Douglas (team-high five total catches) first-round rookie Caleb Lomu (starting RT with Morgan Moses absent), and Tommy DeVito (good day running th
[... truncated ...]
Patriots 2026 season simulation: A.J. Brown's stats, final record and more originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston With an elite wide receiver now in the fold, the New England Patriots have their sights set on another Super Bowl run in 2026. The Patriots found their new WR1 in A.J. Brown , whom they acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles last week in exchange for a 2028 first-round draft pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder. The move adds a new dimension to New England ’s offense and gives quarterback Drake Maye a potentially lethal weapon in Year 3 of his promising NFL career. Will Brown live up to the hype in Foxboro? Can he and Maye lead the Patriots to another dominant regular season? Our partners at Strat-O-Matic simulated the 2026 Pats season to find out just how impactful Brown will be. Here are the results, featuring Brown’s season stats and New England’s regular-season record: For the Patriots to duplicate their 2025 success and make another run at a Super Bowl, they need A.J. Brown to stay healthy and be the elite receiver he’s been throughout his stellar seven-year career. According to Strat-O-Matic, Brown will hold up his end of the bargain. The simulation projects that Brown will lead Pats pass catchers in receptions (88), yards (1,255), and touchdowns (eight). Those would be his highest reception and yardage totals since 2023, and his most TDs since 2022. So, Brown lives up to his WR1 expectations, but do the rest of Maye’s weapons fare in 2026? In the first season of his four-year contract with New England, ex-Green Bay Packers WR Romeo Doubs finishes with career highs in catches (62) and yards (793) but a career-low two TDs. That would be a concerning development for a wideout who’s supposed to be among Maye’s favorite red zone targets. Veteran tight end Hunter Henry remains one of Maye’s go-to options, finishing with 59 catches, 682 yards and five TDs. Kayshon Boutte — currently the subject of trade rumors — notches 25 receptions for 350 yards and two TDs. DeMario “Pop” Douglas contributes 24 catches, 284 yards, and one TD. Mack Hollins adds 14 catches, 173 yards and two TDs. Third-round TE Eli Raridon catches 10 passes for 93 yards in his rookie season. Fresh off an NFL MVP runner-up season, Drake Maye will have a shiny new toy in A.J. Brown and a rock-solid No. 2 WR in Romeo Doubs. The Patriots offense should take another step forward as a result, so Maye’s numbers should only get better… right? Not necessarily, says Strat-O-Matic. Last year, Maye completed a league-best 72 percent of his passes for 4,394 yards, 31 TDs, and eight interceptions. In the 2026 simulation, he completes 65.2 percent of his passes for 4,301 yards, 27 TDs, and 14 INTs. He also has 93 rushing attempts for 424 yards and four TDs. It’s another encouraging year, but not on par with his MVP-caliber campaign. Second-rounder TreVeyon Henderson showed flashes of his potential as a rookie. Will 2026 be his official breakout season? Strat-O-Matic’s simulation has Henderson leading the Patriots’ running back room with 192 rushes for 885 yards (4.6 YPC) and seven TDs. The 23-year-old also makes an impact in the passing game with 37 catches, 276 yards, and three TDs. While Henderson shines, veteran RB Rhamondre Stevenson remains a difference-maker. He ends up with 180 carries for 801 yards (4.45 YPC) and six TDs. He hauls in 34 catches for 276 yards and three TDs. The Patriots’ 2026 schedule looks far more difficult than last year’s, so few are expecting another 14-3 season. Still, New England should compete for the top spot in the AFC East and be good enough to make another deep playoff run. But even with A.J. Brown now in the fold, Strat-O-Matic isn’t as optimistic about the Patriots’ odds heading into the new season. The simulation projects a 9-8 regular-season finish for Mike Vrabel’s group, including a four-game losing streak from Week 7 to Week 10. Here’s a look at the full schedule with the sim’s results: Week 1 at Seattle S
[... truncated ...]
Two days after trading for AJ Brown , the New England Patriots could be looking for another pass catcher. The Patriots placed tight end Julian Hill on injured reserve on Monday after a knee injury in a voluntary offseason practice knocked the former Miami Dolphin out for the year. “Julian won’t be able to play this season, plain and simple. Devastating. Awful. I really enjoyed the person and want to have him around here as much as we possibly can. He won’t be able to play this season,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said. Hill joined New England in March, signing a three-year, $15 million deal. “That’s just disappointing because of the impact he made in a short amount of time with his teammates, the person that he is, the way he practiced,” Vrabel said. “We want Julian to be a part of us as much as possible, but he’s not going to do that on the field this year.” The tight end spent the last three seasons with the Dolphins after making the team as an undrafted free agent in 2023. In 45 games played, Hill recorded 288 yards on 33 receptions. Hill was brought to New England to fill Austin Hooper ’s role as Hunter Henry ’s backup. Hooper, who left on a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons , had 21 receptions for 263 yards last season. If the Patriots can’t replace Hill, they will have to lean more on the nine-year veteran Henry. The former Arkansas Razorback played in every regular-season game in 2025 and put up 768 yards and seven touchdowns. Henry joined the Patriots in 2021 after spending four years with the Los Angeles Chargers . His 5,295 career yards ranked fifth amongst active tight ends. Hill’s injury also means a larger role for Notre Dame rookie tight end Eli Raridon. The third-round draft choice had 32 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns in last season for the Irish. Raridon has had injury problems himself, already suffering two ACL tears
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
