The New England Patriots had many glaring holes on their roster during their disappointing 2024 campaign. The tight end position, however, was one of their few bright spots.
Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper formed a solid 1-2 punch for an offense that otherwise didn’t get much from its pass-catchers. The duo combined for 111 catches, 1,150 yards, and five touchdowns with a combination of Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye at quarterback.
Henry is under contract through 2026, but the Patriots will need to either re-sign Hooper or find a new No. 2 tight end this offseason. Although this year’s free-agent market is slim pickings for tight end-needy teams, there are plenty of solid No. 2 options who can help make the position a strength for New England again in 2025.
Here are the top five tight ends scheduled to hit the open market in March:
2024 stats: 45 receptions, 476 yards, 3 TD
Hooper signed a one-year deal with the Patriots last offseason to reunite with his offensive coordinator from Cleveland, Alex Van Pelt. The 30-year-old veteran operated as a rock-solid No. 2 tight end behind Henry, ranking fourth amongst Patriots pass-catchers in yards and tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns. It couldn’t hurt to bring Hooper back as he’s a reliable, cost-effective option.
2024 stats: 51 receptions, 449 yards, 4 TD
Conklin is coming off a down year with the dysfunctional New York Jets, but he has been a solid pass-catching tight end since his breakout 2021 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings. The 29-year-old hasn’t had the greatest QB situations throughout his career, so it would be interesting to see how he’d fare in a Maye-led offense.
2024 stats: 66 receptions, 654 yards, 7 TD
Ertz’s offensive production stands out amongst the other names on this list. The one drawback to signing him? He’ll turn 35 years old next November.
Age aside, Ertz would bring a proven track record and a much-needed veteran presence to the locker room. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler and a Super Bowl champion who showed this past season with the Washington Commanders that he still has something left in the tank.
2024 stats: 50 receptions, 548 yards, 3 TD
Johnson, an undrafted wide receiver who converted to tight end in the pros, has been a consistent producer for the New Orleans Saints over the last three seasons. The 28-year-old has been a go-to target on third down and in the red zone. His blocking still leaves plenty to be desired, but he’s the youngest and most athletic TE on the list.
2024 stats: 65 receptions, 665 yards, 2 TD
Will we get a Gesicki-Patriots reunion in 2025? The 29-year-old’s production fell off a cliff with Mac Jones as his QB in 2023, but he bounced back in a big way in the Cincinnati Bengals offense with Joe Burrow in 2024. He’s essentially a slot receiver masquerading as a tight end, but the Patriots shouldn’t mind as they need all the help they can get in the pass-catching department.
