As with any training camp, the Patriots will have plenty of roster battles to watch this summer, and with the latest news coming out as veterans head back to Foxboro, another position is now much more competitive than initially thought.
We've known there would be many questions about the receiving corps, as Kayshon Boutte remains the top rumored name to be traded, and the future of DeMario Douglas is uncertain.
There is also an expectation of stiff competition on the defensive line, since a few additions were made via the draft, and there is no front-runner pass rusher ready to lead the team in the upcoming season.
And now we know from the latest news drop that there will be a heated rivalry to start training camp, since Harold Landry was placed on the PUP list, which wasn't entirely surprising. What was more unexpected was finding out that tight end C.J. Dippre is also dealing with an injury that will keep him off the practice field for some time.
Hunter Henry's position as the starter is still on the depth chart, and right behind him will be rookie Eli Raridon. There was always going to be a battle for the TE3 spot, but now that Dippre won't be practicing for the time being, a player like Jack Westover has a new opportunity to take advantage of and return to the position he entered the league at.
The Patriots have a new roster battle to watch after the latest injury news
It is well documented that the Patriots have struggled to find productive tight ends since Rob Gronkowski unexpectedly retired (for the first time) in 2019. That remained the case until Bill Belichick spent the big bucks to bring Hunter Henry to the team, who has since become the go-to weapon for every quarterback who has been under center in New England.
While that solved a major offensive problem, finding a reliable backup for Henry to work with has become the latest issue, and it's still questionable ahead of the 2026 season.
Although Raridon is projected to take over the TE2 role, he's still a rookie, and the Patriots' history hasn't been all that great with rookie tight ends. So expectations aren't exactly high for what he can accomplish early on.
That, coupled with Dippre's inability to practice, creates a massive chance for Westover, who has been with the team since the 2024 season, to carve a role for himself on the offense, and maybe even move back to tight end after switching to fullback.
Because Reggie Gilliam was signed in free agency and he will inevitably become a focal point of Josh McDaniels' offensive game plan, Westoever likely won't see many snaps in that role. And now that he could fill in for Dippre, he could revert to the position the Patriots initially brought him in to play, and if he impresses, he could steal the roster spot.
It will require taking advantage of the opportunity in front of him, and based on what we've seen from him thus far, that's far from certain.
However, seeing that he could lock up a spot on the roster rather than getting moved back to the practice squad might be all the motivation Westover needs to put the pedal to the metal. Only time will tell, but it's clear there's an opening he can walk through if he can do all the right things to stand out.
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