New England Patriots
“I think things are starting to slow down for me.”
Eli Raridon has had a solid start to training camp so far. AP Photo/Michael Conroy
FOXBOROUGH — There have been plenty of eyes on New England’s first two selections from the 2026 NFL Draft, offensive tackle Caleb Lomu and edge rusher Gabe Jacas, so far during training camp.
Lomu’s future profile as New England’s starting right tackle and Jacas’ injury woes have drawn plenty of headlines.
But, when it comes to identifying immediate contributors among New England’s next crop of young talent, 2026 third-round pick Eli Raridon might be pacing the pack.
“I think things are starting to slow down for me,” Raridon said after Thursday’s training-camp practice. “Obviously, I’m not 100 percent acclimated with the offense, but compared to the spring, it’s a night-and-day difference, so it’s going well.”
While Hunter Henry holds court atop New England’s depth chart at tight end, the Patriots don’t have a sure answer in place when it comes to their backup tight end going into the 2026 campaign.
That role was initially envisioned for free-agent pickup Julian Hill, who signed a three-year, $15 million contract with New England earlier this spring.
Hill was expected to be a welcome addition as a punishing blocker and occasional target for Drake Maye. But, the veteran suffered a season-ending injury during OTAs earlier this summer.
Hill’s injury opened the door for Raridon to step into an immediate role this season. Handing a rookie regular reps in Josh McDaniels’ thorough offensive scheme might seem like a sizable ask, but Raridon seems to be finding his footing in short order.
“I think as a tight end room we all need to step up,” Raridon said of taking on some of Hill’s responsibilities moving forward. “We all need to play our hardest and fill in that role that’s missing.”
Through the start of training camp, Raridon has slotted in right behind Henry in New England’s tight-end hierarchy — and has been a regular playmaker so far during team drills. During Thursday’s padded practice, the former Notre Dame product reeled in a touchdown from Maye off a play-action bootleg pass during a red-zone sequence.
New England was banking on Raridon’s athleticism and upside when they selected him in the third round of this year’s draft — with the 6-foot-6 tight end’s potential rooted more in his skillset and size than outright production during his tenure in South Bend.
Raridon recorded only 48 catches and started 18 games for the Fighting Irish, with a pair of ACL tears in the same knee hindering him in college.
Now operating with a clean bill of health, Raridon has popped against NFL competition so far this summer thanks to his quick-burst athleticism and wiry frame — one that should get stronger over time.
Speaking on Monday, Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said Raridon has started to find traction after worrying less about making mistakes as a rookie in camp.
“Eli, new offense, new scheme, new NFL. Capable, willing learner. We will see when pads come on – things change, but I think he has tried to play with the speed that we felt like he had and may not always have shown,” Vrabel said. “Sometimes with the younger players it is, ‘Hey, let us go play and push the envelope, and let us play faster,’ almost to the point of out of control, and then we can coach the details and dial you back.”
“Really, it is just to understand the speed of this game at this level,” he continued. “Sometimes they try to be right, and in trying to be right, they do not play as fast. Not that I have given some of these young guys a free pass to make mistakes, but we can coach mistakes; we cannot coach you to play faster.”
Raridon acknowledged that Vrabel’s words have allowed him to operate more freely out on the gridiron, allowing his natural talent to take over as he tries to separate himself from the pack and earn a featured spot out of the gate this season in New England.
“It’s really helpful. I think it’s a great mentality to have and to win in this league, you have to play fast,” Raridon said. “As a young player, it’s hard to, you know, not be thinking about a lot of stuff out there, and I think it’s great. I think we can play fast, you know, obviously play smart, but not worry too much about making a mistake. And as the offense starts to come together, it’s going to get easier.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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