Patriots 2026 TE Preview: Hunter Henry Can Build Off Career Year
The New England Patriots have always loved tight ends in their offense. Dating back to Josh McDaniels' early years as the team's offensive coordinator, the Patriots have often used Rob Gronkowski, Daniel Graham, Aaron Hernandez, Hunter Henry and Martellus Bennett to their advantage.
This year has the opportunity to be no different.
Though the group is filled with plenty of question marks, and one name who was expected to contribute is now sidelined, the Patriots could get some really important snaps out of the tight end position in 2026.
As we head through the late spring/early summer practice portion of the year, we'll be taking a look at each of the position groups on the Patriots ahead of the 2026 training camp slate. Here are the tight ends, a group with a lot more on their plates this season than some would have hoped a week ago.
Current Depth Chart:
- Hunter Henry (#85) - 11th Season, Sixth With Patriots
- Eli Raridon (#82) - First Season, First With Patriots
- CJ Dippre (#81) - Second Season, Second With Patriots
- Tanner Arkin (#84) - First Season, First With Patriots
- Injured Reserve: Julian Hill (#80) - Fourth Season, First With Patriots
The biggest change is Hill not being able to go. He suffered a season-ending injury in practice last month -- a move that head coach Mike Vrabel called "devastating" -- and his abilities in the run game will have to get pushed back to 2027. In the mean time, that opens up the door for the players on the back end of the roster, including Dippre and Arkin -- two bigger-bodied players who could compete for a spot on the active roster now.
2025 Season In Review:
Henry was a star for New England last season. The veteran was able to bond with Drake Maye in the passing game, and his statistics reaped the benefits of their chemistry. Henry finished the 2025 season with 60 receptions and seven touchdowns, while his 768 receiving yards were a career-high.
Last year, the Patriots had Austin Hooper as their second-string tight end. Primarily used as a blocking weapon, Hooper signed a one-year deal to join the Atlanta Falcons in free agency, part of the reason why the Patriots went out and signed Hill to a three-year, $15 million contract.
But now that both of those players won't suit up, last year's output shouldn't make Patriots fans too crazy about the TE3 job just yet.
Dippre was released by the Patriots at cutdown day, though he did stick around on the practice squad and eventually signed to the active roster. Jack Westover, who switched from tight end to fullback last summer, could find a way back into this room, but hasn't shown a real output in the passing game. Both Raridon and Arkin are coming from the college ranks, but both were not the focal points of their offense with Notre Dame and Illinois, respectively.
Strengths:
A lot of what this room can bring, mainly Henry, is the ability to impact the game as a receiver. Henry has consistently been a weapon when it comes to throwing the ball, and his crafty ability to get open and move with the ball in his hands has been a match made in heaven since he arrived in 2021.
The same goes for Raridon, who looked impressive when he got targets during college. Injuries and a true lack of an passing gauntlet didn't allow him to rack up the numbers one might expect from a second-string tight end (he caught 32 passes for 482 yards and zero touchdowns in 2025).
Dippre and Arkin project as the blocking tight end in this offense, and have the body types to accomplish that role this summer. But both of them are yet to record their first NFL catch, and Dippre has just 20 career snaps on offense. The versatility they can bring when it comes to lining up on and off the ball, as well as contributing in the run game, is a major storyline of this room for training camp.
Weaknesses:
The main weaknesses are two things: Inexperience and a lack of true depth. Sure, the Patriots have numbers right now, but it really isn't enough for a full summer slate of practices. Vrabel admitted to reporters that they may need to add a player to the roster to help out, and that's part of the reason why this group could face some questions in 2026.
Behind Henry, who can the Patriots truly lean on? Expectations aside, what have we seen? Nothing.
The unknown is what hampers this group right now. Raridon, Dippre, Arkin (and Westover to an extent) don't yet have the resume to showcase that the offense could flow through them if needed. Henry is getting up their in age, and is hitting a contract season this fall, but he's proven that the Patriots can rely on him.
The rest of the room needs to prove that. It will come with how they handle the blocking assignments. Right now, the Patriots are set with their pass catching tight ends. The blocking role is up for grabs, a positive for players looking to win a job, but a negative for a roster that thrives on having a solidified player in that spot each season.
2026 Outlook:
Right now, the bottom half of the depth chart is a bit of an unknown. There shouldn't be any worries about Henry's availability as the starter, and he's a primary candidate for a contract extension at some point this season. But the blocking role is something that could become tricky to envision.
Henry and Raridon should be two important pass catchers in this New England offense, though Raridon's workload may be managed to begin the season. How the Patriots are able to get production in the run game from this position will be key to their success.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/patriots/onsi as Patriots 2026 TE Preview: Hunter Henry Can Build Off Career Year.
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This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 5:30 AM.