Patriots kickoff 2016: A look at Chris Hogan
Veteran wide receiver Chris Hogan wears the No. 15 jersey, so he is the subject of discussion today as we mark 15 days until the New England Patriots open the 2016 regular season.
Size: 6-foot-1, 210 pounds
College: Penn State, Monmouth
NFL experience: Four seasons
Hogan spent the 2011 season bouncing around the training camps and practice squads of various NFL teams; first the San Francisco 49ers, then the New York Giants, and then the Miami Dolphins. Eventually, Hogan was signed to the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad in 2012, and since then, he has been rising up the ranks of the league’s wide receivers.
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Over the course of his three-plus seasons with the Bills, Hogan caught 87 balls for 959 yards and six touchdowns. The bulk of that production came in the past two seasons, indicating that Hogan is tracking upward as he begins a new career chapter in New England.
Recent installments in Patriots kickoff countdown profile series:
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At 6-foot-1, Hogan is one of the taller members of the Patriots’ wide receiving corps right now. Judging by the hefty contract the Patriots handed Hogan in the spring, Josh McDaniels has big plans for Hogan and his larger frame in 2016. In case you hadn’t heard, Bill Belichick first encountered Hogan when the then-Penn Stater was playing lacrosse against Steve Belichick at Rutgers.
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Certainly, Hogan can be viewed as a roster lock on the wide receiver depth chart next to Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola and Malcolm Mitchell. Hogan doesn’t have to worry about being unseated by the likes of Aaron Dobson, Keshawn Martin, Chris Harper, DeAndre Carter or Devin Lucien in the coming weeks. As evidenced by his team-leading 62 yards on five receptions, including being on the receiving end of a perfectly-thrown Tom Brady touchdown pass last night, Hogan is in the clear.
Next: 3 ripple effects of Bryan Stork release
Tomorrow marks 14 days until the Patriots open 2016, so be sure to stop by Musket Fire as we profile the owner of the No. 14 jersey, wide receiver Chris Harper.