Tight Ends: Hunter Henry, Eli Raridon (rookie), Jack Westover, C.J. Dippre, Tanner Arkin (rookie)
Fullbacks: Reggie Gilliam, Brock Lampe
The Patriots had a sneaky busy offseason tinkering with the roster around top tight end Hunter Henry, adding two tight ends and a promising veteran fullback to the mix heading into camp.
However, the first sign of adversity for the 2026 Patriots hit when free-agent addition Julian Hill suffered a season-ending injury during OTAs. New England signed Hill to a three-year deal in hopes that the former Dolphins tight end would upgrade their run-blocking ability at the position. Last season, Henry (53.4) and former Pats tight end Austin Hooper (56.8) ranked in the bottom half of the league at the position in PFF run-blocking grade, which led to the Patriots swapping Hooper for Hill during free agency. Unfortunately, the Patriots will need to adjust their plans behind Henry at tight end due to Hill's injury.
Although he was a below-average run blocker last season, Henry was one of the most productive targets in the Patriots offense. Henry ranked seventh among tight ends in receiving yards with a career-high 768 and generated the second-most total EPA by a tight end in 2025 (+72.4). The 31-year-old returns as a trusty target for QB Drake Maye, with the two developing solid chemistry to go to Henry in key situations.
Henry gives the Patriots a savvy veteran to hold down TE1 for another season, but there's some uncertainty behind the Pats captain. New England selected Notre Dame product Eli Raridon as a developmental tight end in the third round of April's draft, with the idea being that Raridon would develop behind Henry as a possible successor. Now, the 22-year-old might need to play a larger role than anticipated in year one.
The 6-6, 245-pound rookie has an athletic frame and good straight-line speed to develop into an effective pass-catcher. Raridon ran a 4.62s 40-yard dash, putting him in the 81st percentile, and averaged 15.1 yards per catch in his final season at Notre Dame. As a seam, wheel, and crossing route specialist, Raridon hauled in eight passes over 20 air yards, which were the most among draft-eligible tight ends. Although he needs to keep adding mass to his frame, Raridon also flashed as a run blocker on his college tape.
There's reason for long-term optimism about Raridon's NFL future, but will the rookie be ready to contribute immediately? Last season, Hooper nearly played 50 percent of the offensive snaps, as the NFL transitions to more plays with multiple tight ends on the field. The Patriots played with two-plus tight ends on the field on 29.6% of their offensive snaps in 2025, which was below league average, but the hope was that number would increase if they were more effective running the ball out of 12-personnel (2 WR, 2 TE, 1 RB).
The Patriots were 29th in rush EPA out of 12-personnel last season (-0.17). So, it made sense to run the offense primarily out of three-receiver sets since they weren't creating any run-game advantages with multiple tight ends. Still, as Hooper's snap rate can attest, the second tight end plays a major role in New England's offense. With a slower developmental curve for tight ends from college to the pros, it's fair to wonder if Raridon is ready to be a regular contributor.
Behind the Patriots third-round rookie, New England's current options to fill out the tight end room are undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin, C.J. Dippre (a UDFA in 2025), and TE/FB Jack Westover. Before missing the final minicamp practice in June, Westover was getting the early nod to rotate in with Henry as the incumbent. Raridon saw more reps as the spring wore on, while Arkin and Dippre both profile as bigger in-line blockers who could fill situational roles.
From this perspective, rostering either Arkin or Dippre to play in short-yardage run packages and on the field goal protection unit could be the move behind Henry and Raridon. Arkin, who is 6-4, 262 pounds, was an impressive collegiate blocker at Illinois. The Illini often featured him as a de facto extra offensive lineman at the point of attack. If the Patriots don't make an external addition, Arkin could earn a roster spot as a blocking specialist to replace some of the things Hill was supposed to do.
If the Patriots don't feel comfortable using multiple tight ends, pivoting to 21-personnel might be the move to get bigger bodies on the field (2 WR, 1 TE, 1 RB, 1 FB). Despite having to play Westover out of position, the Pats used 21-personnel at the fourth-highest rate in the NFL last season (15.3%). However, they generated a negative EPA per play out of their 21-personnel grouping (-0.02, 12th in the NFL). By adding free-agent FB Reggie Gilliam, 21-personnel will likely be a significant part of New England's offense.
Gilliam was already projected to play a large role but his usage might increase even more after the Hill injury. During the spring, Gilliam's athleticism caught the eye while running routes from various alignments. He can open up his strides to build speed down the sideline or in the seams, stretching the field vertically. The 28-year-old can also unlock his movement skills as a blocker up to the second level or in space.
Unlike Pats fullbacks in the past, Gilliam is more versatile. The former Bill is a true H-Back in the Kyle Juszczyk mold rather than a James Develin-style battering ram. If they're looking for an old-school fullback, second-year pro Brock Lampe, who missed his rookie season due to injury, has that kind of body type. With Gilliam and Lampe possibly sticking around, the Patriots are poised to be a two-back offense.
Due to the unfortunate injury to Hill in the spring, there's some uncertainty at tight end for the Patriots behind Hunter Henry that will need to be sorted out in camp. However, Henry and the return of an impact fullback in Gilliam give New England a solid starting point.
DISCLAIMER: The views and thoughts expressed in this article are those of the writer and don't necessarily reflect those of the organization. Read Full Disclaimer
