Patriots quietly revealed a lingering concern with latest minicamp tryouts

After the New England Patriots lost their primary kickoff returner in 2025, Antonio Gibson, to a torn ACL, the team was left looking for an effective replacement throughout the remainder of the campaign. Once Gibson went down, the Patriots had six different players attempt multiple kick returns, and were even still searching for an answer at the position during Super Bowl LX, when they tried out both D'Ernest Johnson and TreVeyon Henderson as returners.

With Gibson now no longer on the roster, efforts to find a new kick returner have continued this offseason, as the team hosted multiple return specialists for tryouts at their rookie minicamp.

While it remains to be seen whether New England will decide to give any of these players an additional look at training camp, it's clear the franchise’s decision-makers still view this as an area of need ahead of the 2026 season.

The New England Patriots continue casting a wide net for kickoff return help

WR Jha'Quan Jackson, Tulane

Jha'Quan Jackson was a sixth-round pick (182nd overall) by the Tennessee Titans in 2024, following a college career in which he recorded 60 punt returns for 677 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 36 kick returns for 772 yards. At the 2024 NFL combine, he ran an official 4.42-second 40-yard dash.

In his rookie campaign with Tennessee, Jackson returned 16 kickoffs for 412 yards and 28 punts for 215 yards through 12 games played. Last season, he briefly signed on to the New Orleans Saints practice squad, and in January was selected by the UFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks, but got released in March during final roster cuts.

CB Dee Williams, Tennessee

Another player who has already spent some time in the pros, Dee Williams initially began his college career as a wide receiver before transitioning to defensive back midway through his final college campaign in 2023. In two seasons with the Volunteers, he returned 35 punts for 540 yards and two touchdowns, while also bringing back 13 kickoffs for 274 yards.

Signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2024, Williams made the 53-man roster following the preseason, going on to play 12 games for the team as a rookie before being waived and picked up by the New York Giants. During his first NFL season, he totaled 15 punt returns for 111 yards and 10 kickoff returns for 277 yards. In 2025, he was a member of the Cleveland Browns' practice squad.

WR Cade Harris, Air Force

Cade Harris served as a Swiss Army Knife-type player during his time at Air Force, being utilized as a pass catcher, ball carrier, and returner. In 2025, he led the team in every receiving category and was fourth on the squad in rushing yards.

Across his college career, Harris hauled in 65 receptions for 1,176 yards and six touchdowns, while taking 121 carries for 683 yards and 10 scores. He also returned nine kickoffs for 185 yards and seven punts for 33 yards. Last season, Harris was the only FBS player with at least 300 receiving yards and 100 rushing yards through his first three games.

DB/WR Logan Collier, North Alabama

A wide receiver during his college football days and while playing professionally overseas last year, the Patriots had Logan Collier work out exclusively as a safety at rookie minicamp, according to a member of Collier‘s camp who spoke with Musket Fire. He ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash at his pro day in 2025 and earned a 9.55 Relative Athletic Score out of a possible 10, ranking 173rd out of 3,815 wideouts from 1987 to 2025.

Last year, Collier posted 25 receptions for 326 yards in the Finnish Maple League, following his final collegiate season in 2024, during which he totaled 249 yards on 11 kickoff returns while playing at North Alabama. Prior to that, the 2023 AFCA NAIA All-American return specialist attended Lindsey Wilson College, where he logged 19 kickoff returns for 676 yards and six touchdowns (program record), with nine punt returns for 190 yards and a score.

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