Locks: Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper

Near-Lock: Jaheim Bell

In the Mix: La’Michael Pettway, Mitchell Wilcox, Jacob Warren (UDFA)

The Patriots continue to tinker with their tight end depth chart behind incumbent offensive captain Hunter Henry, who will play with a third different TE2 in as many seasons.

Following a trade to escape a bad free-agent contract given to Jonnu Smith, the Patriots tried out Mike Gesicki on a one-year deal in 2023. The situation around Gesicki wasn't conducive to a big season, but his 29 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns were disappointing. As a result, EVP of Player Personnel Eliot Wolf let Gesicki walk this offseason, replacing him with former Browns TE Austin Hooper and seventh-round pick Jaheim Bell.

The Patriots will likely still feature tight ends heavily under new offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Last season, the Browns were primarily a three-receiver operation, playing 68.2% of their offensive snaps in 11-personnel (11th-most in NFL). However, Cleveland utilized a three-tight end package at the eight-highest rate in the league (5.8%) while leading the NFL in using a sixth offensive lineman (10.8%), so New England's offense will incorporate heavy personnel.

Although he's an effective chain-mover and red-zone option, Henry's ability to produce big plays by running seams, crossers, or corner routes could be declining. Van Pelt's offense creates chunk plays through play-action and moving pockets that Browns TE David Njoku feasted on, which could be a deciding factor in who takes the snaps left behind by Gesicki.

Along with unlocking big plays through the tight ends off play-action, the Browns have experimented with different ways to utilize an off-the-line blocker. For example, Harrison Bryant mainly played off the line in a wing alignment in Cleveland, tallying 406 snaps as the TE2 behind Njoku a year ago. The Browns also used backup center Nick Harris as a traditional lead-blocking fullback on 53 snaps, so that's an element Van Pelt could also want.

With that in mind, the expectation is that Hooper, who spent two seasons with Van Pelt in Cleveland, will be a useful in-line option. Hooper saw 71.9% of his snaps come as an in-line tight end in his last season with the Browns, and his Raider film from a year ago showed that he's a capable blocker in the run game. As a part of a two-tight end set on early downs, Hooper could take on the more rigorous blocking duties.

The two veterans' roster spots are likely safe, while seventh-round pick Jaheim Bell also brings a lot to the table. Bell is a highly versatile rookie who lined up all over FSU's offense, from in the backfield, every tight end spot, and at receiver alignments. Many point to Bell's versatility as his best trait

However, those closest to him on the Florida State coaching staff felt his field-stretching ability was a standout trait. You can see a world where Bell is winning foot races created by the play design, whether that's near the line of scrimmage on shallow drags/submarine routes or downfield on deeper crossers and seams.

Bell brings the straight-line explosiveness that the two vets don't necessarily have, while his alignment flexibility suggests he could also be a useful fullback or H-Back type. Despite being a late-round selection, the rookie has a very intriguing skill set and shouldn't be viewed as a typical seventh-round flier. From this perspective, Bell has legit upside in an offense that can tap into his straight-line speed and skill as a ball carrier.

At this juncture, we'd elevate Bell to near-lock status. As a late-round rookie, he still needs to prove himself in padded practices and preseason games. Still, his unique skill set complements Henry and Hooper nicely, while Bell is the only young asset the Patriots have at a position that could use an infusion of youth moving forward.

The other options with NFL experience, La'Michael Pettway and Mitchell Wilcox, have struggled to carve out roles in the pros. Wilcox does have 29 career catches and some blocking chops over three years with the Bengals. He was active in spring practices as an in-line tight end and special teamer, so that's his path on the roster.

Lastly, undrafted rookie Jacob Warren is a well-built blocking tight end who stands at 6-foot-6, 251 pounds. Without a clearly defined blocking specialist, Warren could make a push in a run-heavy scheme if given the opportunity to show off his strengths in the run game.

Ultimately, it would take something unforeseen for the Patriots to move away from Henry, Hooper, and Bell as their three tight ends heading into the season.

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