Previewing this year’s tight end class ahead of free agency.
The New England Patriots are expected to be among the most active teams in NFL free agency this offseason. Not only do they have holes all over their roster and several crucial areas that need to be addressed, they also have vast resources to play with: New England is tops in the league with over $130 million in salary cap space available.
It seems likely that some of it will be invested in the tight end position. While the available group as a whole lacks star power, New England is in need of reinforcements.
Patriots’ current tight end situation
Only one of the Patriots’ top two tight ends from a year ago is under contract for the 2025 season. Hunter Henry, who led the team in receptions (66), receiving yards (674) and ranked fourth in touchdowns (2) a year ago, is set to resume his role as New England’s TE1. His running mate Austin Hooper, meanwhile, is headed for unrestricted free agency; he also was a vital part of the team’s passing attack in 2024, posting a 45-476-3 stat-line.
Beyond Henry, the Patriots have sophomore backups Jaheim Bell and Jack Westover on their roster. They additionally added Giovanni Ricci — a tight end/fullback hybrid — via a futures pact in February.
Patriots free agency targets at tight end
Based on his solid season in 2024, his chemistry with Drake Maye, and his history with both head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Hooper might be the Patriots’ No. 1 tight end target in free agency. If they want to explore other options, either as a complement or replacement, there are a handful that would make sense.
Pharaoh Brown (UFA): A familiar name, Brown spent the 2023 season with the Patriots before a one-year stint in Seattle. Why would New England try to bring him back now, especially considering that he offers virtually no receiving production? Because he is one of the better blocking tight ends in the NFL, and would therefore be a good fit for the offense Josh McDaniels is expected to run.
Tyler Conklin (UFA): The Patriots and Conklin are no strangers to one another, having met six times over his three years with the New York Jets. The 29-year-old is a positionally-flexible tight end, who has been as steady as they come: he averaged 57 catches for 541 yards and 2 touchdowns during his time as a Jet, proving himself a reliable if not necessarily flashy option for the team.
Zach Ertz (UFA): Ertz returned to form after joining the Washington Commanders last year. Finishing the season with 66 receptions for 654 yards and 7 touchdowns, he served as one of Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels’ favorite targets. While there are questions about his age — he will turn 35 in November — and whether or not he can keep his level up with yet another new team, he is a proven commodity and quality TE2.
Kylen Granson (UFA): Granson steadily increased his role within the Indianapolis Colts’ offense over the first three years of his career, but his production took a nosedive in 2024. The former fourth-round draft pick could still be a valuable package piece for New England due to his abilities as an all-around tight end and his special teams experience. If nothing else, he would bring seasoned competition to the backend of the roster at a relatively small cost.
Juwan Johnson (UFA): Arguably the No. 1 tight end in this year’s class, Johnson is more of a big slot than a traditional in-line player (which is no surprise given that he entered the NFL as a wide receiver and changed positions in 2021). That said, he is pretty good at what he does and would bring a proven track record of production to New England: the 6-foot-4, 231-pounder has averaged 36 catches for 396 yards and 5 touchdowns in his four seasons since moving to tight end.
All in all, the tight end group is lacking star power — a common theme for this year’s free agency in general — but does offer some role players who could work in New England’s offense. That said, there is an argument for Austin Hooper as the team’s best choice among those available.
Of course, free agency is not the only way to bolster depth in the offseason. The trade market, and one player in particular, might be worth a look: the Las Vegas Raiders have fielded calls about Michael Mayer this offseason. Mayer was drafted in the second round of the 2023 draft, back when Josh McDaniels was still the Raiders’ head coach. A reunion would make sense, even though it remains to be seen how motivated Las Vegas truly is.
If nothing transpires, and the Patriots also decide to forgo free agency as a means of bolstering the group, looking at the draft makes sense. The tight end position is quite deep this year.