Mike Vrabel Says Patriots Looking To Add TE Before Season Starts

Mike Vrabel Says Patriots Looking To Add TE Before Season Starts originally appeared on NESN.
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The New England Patriots signed former Miami Dolphins tight end Julian Hill to a three-year, $15 million contract over the offseason. Half of the contract was fully guaranteed, and head coach Mike Vrabel praised the primarily blocking tight end as part of New England’s plans going forward. 

Hill was the first and only casualty at Patriots OTAs. He suffered a season-ending injury on just the second day on the turf. 

Hill was going to play starter-like snap counts as offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels relies on two tight end sets more than most. His absence created a hole in the room that Vrabel now says the Patriots are looking to fill before August. 

“Just from a numbers standpoint at camp, I think that is probably somewhere where we would have to address,” Vrabel told ESPN’s Mike Reiss. 

Reiss took it upon himself to present a few potential signees who are still looking for a home in 2026.

“Ideally it would be with a Y-type option who can move bodies on the line of scrimmage, with Will Dissly, Pharaoh Brown and Nick Vannett among the more established veterans currently available in free agency, and former Packer John FitzPatrick (fifth season) a younger option who is recovering from an Achilles injury sustained in December,” Reiss wrote. 

Dissly has shown a real pass-catching aptitude over his nearly decade-long NFL career. He has been priced out of the Los Angeles Chargers offense by the younger Oronde Gadsden. 

Dissly could be a plug-and-play replacement No. 2 tight end, leaving rookie Eli Raridon more time to develop before being thrown into the starting rotation. 

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