The Patriots didn’t just miss out on a tight end this offseason. They watched one of the exact players fans had circled land somewhere else, then immediately look the part of a difference-maker.
Isaiah Likely had been a popular name around New England when free agency opened earlier this year. The fit made too much sense on paper: a young tight end with upside, a player who could eventually step in after Hunter Henry, and a Massachusetts native who grew up a Patriots fan. For a while, it looked like the kind of homecoming that would get everyone talking.
Instead, Likely signed a three-year, $40 million deal with the Giants.
That alone would have been enough to leave Patriots fans wondering what might have been. Then came his New York debut on Sunday Night Football this week, and he wasted no time turning the regret dial up. Likely finished with a team-high 8 receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns, including some huge catches on chaotic third downs that helped make sure the Cowboys never got the ball back with a chance to tie it.
Those are the kinds of plays that made Likely such an appealing target in the first place. At 26, he’s still got his best football ahead of him, and now he’s set to build chemistry with another young quarterback in Jaxson Dart. That’s the sort of quarterback-tight end pairing the Patriots could have imagined for the post-Henry stretch, with Drake Maye eventually benefiting from a dynamic target like that.
For now, though, the Patriots have to hope they found their answer in-house.
Rookie Eli Raridon scored the first and only touchdown for New England in Week 1, a welcome moment after what was described as a summer that didn’t exactly stand out. He’s also only 22, which gives the Patriots time to let him develop behind Henry and grow into the role.
There’s still a long way to go before Raridon can be counted on as the TE1 of the future. But if he does become that player, it’ll make the sting of watching Likely thrive in a Giants uniform a little easier to swallow.
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Trade Watch Worth Following On Defense
The Patriots defense already has a little extra scrutiny on it after Week 1 exposed some soft spots at linebacker, and now there is a trade possibility worth keeping in view. One name surfacing is Giants edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, whose role in New York has looked smaller than expected and whose fit in New England would make sense on paper given the Patriots need for more impact help up front.
What makes the situation interesting is that Thibodeaux is not just a theoretical fit, but a player who could plausibly be had for a mid-round pick if the Giants decide his path there has changed. For the Patriots, that is the kind of cost that can turn a question mark into a real conversation, especially when a defense trying to settle itself has a chance to add talent without having to pay premium draft capital. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Suddenly Have A Kayshon Boutte Question They Didn't Want
Kayshon Bouttes move out of New England already has an interesting early wrinkle, and it comes at a moment when the Patriots are dealing with a hole they would rather not have. Boutte was traded to Houston before the 2026 season, and his first game in a Texans uniform was quiet, with one catch on two targets for 21 yards, but his departure still matters because the Patriots are suddenly thinner at receiver and looking for answers while A.J. Brown is expected to miss at least four games with a high ankle sprain.
Bouttes role in Houston is still being sorted out, and that makes the trade feel unfinished from New Englands perspective. The Patriots did not just lose a body at the position, they lost a player whose next step was supposed to help clarify whether he could be part of their long-term answer, and now the timing of Browns injury only sharpens the question of what the team gave up and how it plans to cover the gap. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Rookie Is Already Filling A Role New England Desperately Needed
The Patriots came out of Aprils draft with nine new rookies, and early on, a few of them have already found ways to matter. Caleb Lomu, Gabe Jacas, Eli Raridon and Namdi Obiazor all arrived with different expectations, but the common thread in New England is opportunity, especially for first-year players who can help on the margins while the roster sorts itself out. Jacas got on the board quickly with his first NFL sack in Week 1, Raridon made an early mark by scoring the first touchdown of the NFL season, and Obiazor has started to carve out a spot on special teams.
For the Patriots, that last part may be the most important. Obiazor has already contributed three tackles in limited snaps, and New England is counting on him and other rookies to help replace the special teams departures from last season. It is the kind of role that rarely draws much attention when the season starts, but for a team trying to patch together dependable depth, those reps can matter just as much as the splash plays. [Read more 🡒]