Hunter Henry faces uncertain Patriots future as ideal replacement emerges

The New England Patriots have reportedly had a trade in place for Eagles star wideout A.J. Brown, following the June 1 deadline, when the effects of a trade on cap space change significantly. In addition to Brown, New England signed Romeo Doubs to a four-year deal and star guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to help bolster the offensive line.

There's no doubt New England is all in on supporting Drake Maye.

While it appears Mike Vrabel and Co. have done almost everything they can to strengthen the squad significantly, the team may look to add even more weapons. In a recent article, Chad Graff of The Athletic reports that the Patriots selecting Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers on Day 2 of the draft could be a move they make.

Looking at the tight end position, an addition would certainly be welcome. Hunter Henry had a career year last season, but he is also in a contract year and will soon turn 32. Julian Hill was inked to a three-year contract this offseason, but with just 298 receiving yards in three seasons, blocking will be his forte.

Beyond their two primary options at the position, they roster C.J. Dippre and Marshall Lang, neither of which have a catch in their young careers. Jack Westover, who filled in at fullback in 2025, could make the switch back to tight end following the signing of Reggie Gilliam. Nonetheless, none of the three is moving the needle at the position.

Eli Stowers could be a perfect addition to the Patriots offense in 2026

The Patriots love their tight ends, particularly when Josh McDaniels is running the offense. He famously deployed Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez together with Tom Brady at the helm, and years later, he attempted to recreate that success with Henry and Jonnu Smith.

Smith was a bust, but McDaniels has continued to heavily utilize tight ends in their scheme. Last year, the Patriots used 22 personnel with an extra offensive lineman at the highest rate in the league. If they want to continue that trend, having a strong group of tight ends should be a priority.

Stowers began his career as a four-star quarterback from Texas. He committed to play for the in-state Aggies of A&M, but would never attempt a pass there. He transferred to New Mexico State, where he transitioned to tight end.

He's spent only one year in Las Cruces before transferring to Vanderbilt. In two seasons for the Commodores, he had 111 catches for 1,407 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Stowers wasn't just a productive college player, but also an athletic one. He ran a 4.51 40-yard dash at almost 6-foot-4, 239 pounds, and he broke the vertical jump record for tight ends at the Combine.

Given his size and recent transition to tight end, he's sure to have issues blocking at the NFL level. Last year, he operated more as a big slot (55.4% of snaps) than an in-line tight end (35%).

Despite size concerns, Stowers has the versatility, production, and athleticism of a legitimate NFL contributor. His range is anywhere from the late first to late second round by most consensus boards, so New England would have to strike early.

While Brown and Doubs are already great additions, adding Stowers would only further bolster Drake Maye's arsenal.

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