Training Camp Competition: Patriots Tight Ends

The New England Patriots 53-man roster has more openings up for grabs than in the recent memory. There could be over 20 roster spots determined by training camp and preseason performance. Leading up to final roster cutdowns, Patriots Football Now will continue to feature training camp competitions. These could involve players battling for starting positions or roster spots. Today’s feature is New England’s tight ends.

Hunter Henry returns as the Patriots starting tight end. New England wisely locked Henry up before he could hit the open market. The team captain returns for a fourth season in Foxboro. However, the other two tight ends from 2023 both departed in free agency. Pharoah Brown signed with the Seattle Seahawks. Mike Gesicki departed to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals.

This means new bodies in New England’s tight end room. This includes new tight ends coach Bob Bicknell. PFN touted Bicknell as a potential hire this offseason (which he eventually was) due to his experience working with offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends.

Also Read – Hunter Henry Coming Back to New England

The Patriots have six tight ends on their 90-man roster. The projection here is that only three will remain on the 53-man roster when final cuts are made. New England kept only two, Henry and Gesicki, out of camp in 2023. Henry remains secure in one of those spots, but how do the other five options stack up?

Austin Hooper

Hooper possesses the best resume of the five candidates battling for a roster spot. He is a former two-time Pro Bowl selection, though the most recent honor came five years ago. Hooper amassed 364 receptions for 3,702 yards and 25 touchdowns in his eight NFL seasons. He is potentially an upgrade over Gesicki as a receiving tight end for New England. Unfortunately, their 2023 numbers were very similar.

New England hopes for increased production out of Hooper in 2024. He does have experience playing for offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and other members of the Patriots offensive coaching staff. This should serve him well in training camp. Nobody is expecting Austin Hooper to regain his Pro Bowl form, but he is expected to be an upgrade from what Mike Gesicki produced in 2024. A roster spot is Hooper’s to lose heading into camp.

Mitchell Wilcox

New England signed Wilcox before the 2024 NFL Draft. It gave them another veteran body on the roster capable of being a legit NFL reserve. The signing prevented the Patriots from needing to be desperate in the draft. Wilcox is a four-year NFL veteran. He was part of the 2021 Cincinnati Bengals AFC Championship squad that lost Super Bowl 56 to the Los Angeles Rams.

Wilcox played 17 games for Cincinnati last season. His offensive production was modest, catching nine passes for 56 yards. Wilcox did not contribute much as a receiver or a run blocker over his 230 offensive snaps in 2023. His primary contribution was as a pass blocker. It is possible the New England Patriots saw a need to enhance their pass blocking due to uncertainty along the offensive line. If Wilcox hopes to make the roster he will need to show he can also contribute as a receiver or run-blocker as well. One-dimensional players will have a hard time sticking on the 53-man roster.

La’Michael Pettway

Pettway was with the New England Patriots in 2023 but did not appear in any games. He signed with the practice squad on Dec. 26, 2023, and was added to the 53-man roster on Jan. 4, 2024. Pettway was not active for any games and has yet to make his NFL debut. The 27-year-old has had a long journey. He excelled in the USFL, helping the Birmingham Stallions win the 2023 league championship.

Measuring 6-foot-2 and 233 pounds, Pettway doesn’t have the size of some other tight ends in the group. He projects to be a receiving tight end with the flexibility to be used in a H-back role as well. Based on similarities to a 2024 NFL Draft pick for New England, Pettway appears a longshot to stick on the 53-man roster if everyone remains healthy.

Jaheim Bell

The New England Patriots selected Jaheim Bell in the seventh round (No. 231 overall) in the 2024 NFL Draft out of Florida State. He also played collegiately for South Carolina before a transfer. Bell was projected by Patriots Football Now to be a potential Round 4 selection, so it was excellent value in Round 7.

Bell brings playmaking ability that no other player competing for a roster spot here possesses. He rushed for 303 yards and four touchdowns in college. He caught 95 passes for 1,260 yards and nine touchdowns. If Alex Van Pelt gets creative in using Bell as an offensive weapon, he has the potential to be a difference-maker as a rookie. That is something the New England Patriots have sorely lacked in recent years.

Jacob Warren

The former Tennessee Volunteer signed with New England as an undrafted free agent. Being a UDFA has not prevented players from making the Patriots’ 53-man roster out of camp or making a significant contribution. David Andrews, Jonathan Jones, and Brenden Schooler are among the many Patriots players who have been key members of the organization after going undrafted.

Warren possesses great size for the position, standing 6-foot-6 and 253 pounds. He played six seasons for Tennessee, so he comes to New England with a good deal of experience. Warren earned SEC All-Academic honors and was honored for his work in the community as well. He is a mature player with good size, intelligence, and leadership qualities.

Prediction

Unlike last season, the New England Patriots are likely to keep three tight ends out of camp in 2024. Hunter Henry will make the team and be the primary tight end. Jaheim Bell is a potential playmaker the Patriots will not want to expose to waivers. That leaves one spot open. As of now, Austin Hooper feels like the favorite to stick around. The hope would be that others clear waivers and can be signed to the practice squad. Warren in particular is a player to keep an eye on. But for now, smart money has New England keeping three tight ends to start the season: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, and Jaheim Bell.