The Patriots have Hunter Henry—and a whole lot of uncertainty behind him. Step 4 is about rebuilding the tight end room with two additions, using a mix of value additions in free agency and Day 3 developmental swings to give Drake Maye a real safety net.
Our “5 Steps to Upgrade the New England Patriots in 2026” series rolls along today — and we return inside the hash marks after venturing out wide.
Now, we continue with the passing game — but look inside the numbers at the tight end position. The Patriots will retain Hunter Henry through at least 2026 in the final year of his contract, but New England is left with nothing but question marks behind him.
Step 4 in upgrading the Patriots is filling the tight end room with two additional bodies behind Henry.
Step 4: Two Tight Ends
© Tommy Gilligan-Imagn ImagesWith nothing of certainty behind Hunter Henry at tight end, the Patriots will almost certainly be re-shuffling the deck at that position this offseason.
Austin Hooper is an unrestricted free agent, and depending on his potential earnings, may still be a fit to return on a team-friendly contract. Hooper played 46.8% of offensive snaps for New England last year, signifying the high-percentage of two tight end sets the Patriots ran with Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator.
Even if he does return, New England should target the position in free agency and the draft.
The tight end market is shaping up to be more fruitful than in recent free agency periods, headlined by Kyle Pitts, Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, Isaiah Likely, and David Njoku. Of the five, the most probable to actually hit the market are Likely and Njoku.
They’d also be the best fits in Foxboro, as Likely is a native of Massachusetts (Malden High School, Everett High School) and would fill the “Y” role as a flex pass-catching option in McDaniels’ system who has experience as a blocker from his time in Baltimore.
Vrabel worked closely with Njoku in Cleveland in 2024 so there’s an obvious connection there, but as a former number-one option, the contract value may be of concern for a potential signing.
Likely’s estimated market value is roughly $8.8 million per year — and at just 25 years old, would provide more of a long-term answer at the position for New England.
With Henry on the hook for nearly $12 million in 2026, it’s also possible that the Patriots won’t be willing to write a large check for a second tight end — especially if they are making a significant add at wide receiver.
In the next tier of free agents, New England could target a number of different options younger than Hooper in the same $1.5-$3 million per year range. Noah Fant (28), Adam Trautman (29), Foster Moreau (28), Daniel Bellinger (25), Grant Calcaterra (27), Kylen Granson (28), and Charlie Kolar (27) could all be available at that price.
Many of the players in that range would classify more as a secondary option in the passing game, but add more value on a cheaper contract in the running game. Look for the Patriots to add one of them in free agency, but still be active in targeting tight ends in the NFL Draft.
With 27 tight ends attending the NFL Scouting Combine, New England will have a variety of players to choose from in the mid-to-late rounds. Look for them to pick a tight end with one of their eight Day 3 selections — a developmental prospect that can work behind Henry in the interim and provide value as an additional blocker in the running game.
Outside of the top 100 overall prospects, the Patriots would be looking at one of: Sam Roush (Stanford), Marlin Klein (Michigan), Josh Cuevas (Alabama), Nate Boerkircher (Texas A&M), Joe Royer (Cincinnati), Eli Raridon (Notre Dame), Miles Kitselman (Tennessee), Tanner Koziol (Utah), Dallen Bentley (Utah), John Michael Gyllenborg (Wyoming), Dae’Quan Wright (Mississippi), or Oscar Delp (Georgia).
Boerkircher (72.2) and Bentley (61.7) boasted the highest run-blocking grades of the group, per PFF, while Raridon, Koziol, and Klein have the edge in terms of size — as they’re each listed at 6’6” or taller.
New England was confirmed to have met with Boerkircher at the Combine last week, and as a group, the tight ends impressed. With their haul of Day 3 picks, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Patriots target at least one of those players to bolster depth at tight end.
There are plenty of ways that New England can re-invent their tight end room around Henry in 2026, from big spends to value adds — or both — at a more cost-controlled position.
Looking Ahead
© Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesNow that we’ve fortified things around Drake Maye — in the trenches, out wide, and with a security net over the middle of the field — we’ll look toward the fringes of the roster, and where the Patriots can add additional depth.
How do you think New England should prioritize their needs this offseason? Which players would you like to see added to the roster for 2026? Let us know in the comments below.
We’ll be concluding our “5 Steps to Upgrading the New England Patriots in 2026” tomorrow with our final step in the plan, then we’ll look ahead to specific players New England may look to target in free agency.
Stay tuned for that and much more right here on Patriots Roundtable.
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