The 2025 New England Patriots relied heavily on rookies, mostly because they had no other choice. Will Campbell and Jared Wilson were starters on the offensive line, while TreVeyon Henderson totaled over 1,100 offensive yards. Kyle Williams also made his impact felt, despite making only 10 catches.
Defensively, Josh Farmer, Eric Gregory and Elijah Ponder played rotational roles on the defensive line, while Craig Woodson was a starter from Day 1. Andy Borregales, Julian Ashby, and Efton Chism had key roles on special teams.
The team's success in spite of an inexperienced squad in 2025 was impressive, but it appeared 2026 would see New England deploy more veteran players. Injuries have made working the rookies in slowly almost impossible, but it hasn't been much of a problem thus far.
Caleb Lomu and Gabe Jacas have both been impact players, while Namdi Obiazor and UDFA waiver claim Erick Hunter have made their presence felt on special teams.
Of all the rookies, however, one player has stuck out as a particularly surprising contributor, especially considering his role on the depth chart back in the spring.
Against the Bears on Thursday Night Football, Eli Raridon notched his second touchdown reception of the season. He's now totaled 168 yards and a pair of scores on 12 catches in six games played.
The Patriots may have found Hunter Henry's long-term running mate in Eli Raridon
Going into the summer, the Patriots had an interesting situation in the tight end room.
Hunter Henry had just a year left on his contract, while veteran Austin Hooper returned to Atlanta after two seasons in New England. The signing of fullback Reggie Gilliam forced Jack Westover back to tight end, while C.J. Dippre was also on the roster after primarily playing a special teams role as a rookie.
To replace Hooper, the Patriots signed former Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill, a pure blocker with just 288 receiving yards in three seasons. Aside from selecting Raridon in the third round, they also shelled out over $270,000 in guarantees for Illinois' Tanner Arkin, the most for any UDFA in Vrabel's two seasons as the head coach.
At the end of May, Hill sustained a knee injury described by Vrabel as "devastating." He was placed on season-ending injured reserve on June 1, a transaction that opened a roster spot for A.J. Brown. Suddenly, the TE2 role was up for grabs.
In the end, the Patriots found stability at the position somewhat unexpectedly. Raridon claimed the TE2 role while Henry signed a contract extension. Arkin made the squad as a reserve. The team also claimed former third-round pick Cam Latu, who was a core special teams player for the Eagles in 2025 with 271 snaps.
On TNF, Raridon eclipsed 50 yards for the second time in his career. He finished the game with three catches on four targets for 56 yards and a 30-yard touchdown. The 6-foot-6 Notre Dame alum has proven himself a useful chess piece on offense thus far, catching 9 of 12 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown over the past three games.
With Henry on pace to eclipse 700 yards for the second straight season and his recent extension, I wouldn't expect Raridon to claim the starting role all that soon. Instead, I'd expect to see him remain involved in two tight end sets.
He's played at least 28 offensive snaps over the last four weeks, while Henry has played at least 40 snaps in every game this season. Of course, the injuries at wide receiver have necessitated more usage of Raridon. Still, given his production, I'd expect the former Fighting Irish seam threat to continue seeing playing time even when Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins return.
A rookie leading his position group in yards and touchdowns while being second in catches is impressive, even more so from a player who nearly slipped out of the top 100 in the draft.
While it’s early in his career, it appears the Patriots may have found a steal in Eli Raridon.
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