Efton Chism III keeps forcing the Patriots to take notice.
With New England operating shorthanded at receiver, the second-year undrafted free agent has gone from emergency option to one of the more interesting pieces in the passing game. He delivered again in Sunday’s 45-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, and the performance only strengthened the case that he deserves more than a temporary look.
Chism logged a career-high 57 offensive snaps, which ranked second on the team behind only Romeo Doubs. He turned that playing time into five catches for 57 yards, both career bests, and he kept showing up in the biggest moments.
One of the loudest plays from his day came on a catch-and-lateral to TreyVeyon Henderson that helped move the chains on third down. It was the kind of heads-up sequence that coaches love because it keeps a drive alive and shows the player can handle more than one job on the field.
His rise has been building for a bit now. A week earlier in Buffalo, Chism was asked to help fill the void left when Mack Hollins exited in the second half with a calf injury. He answered with two clutch grabs on the Patriots’ game-winning drive - first a vertical contested catch for a first down, then the game-winning touchdown on a 23-yard one-handed snare.
With only four receivers active against the Raiders, Chism naturally saw the biggest workload of his NFL career. That usage stands in sharp contrast to the first three weeks of the season, when he played only 26 offensive snaps, or 22% of his season total of 117.
Now the question is what happens if the receiver room gets healthier. On Monday, head coach Mike Vrabel suggested WR AJ Brown could be available for Week 6 against the New York Jets. Brown is on injured reserve after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the season opener against Seattle, but he is eligible to come off the list this week.
If Brown returns, Chism could slide back into a smaller role as the fifth or sixth option for Drake Maye. But after what he has done with increased snaps, it’s hard to ignore the possibility that he has earned a real place in the rotation.
That could have ripple effects for DeMario “Pop” Douglas, who scored on a 34-yard touchdown Sunday - his first of the season - after getting behind busted coverage for a wide-open finish. Douglas has played on 53% of the offense’s snaps this season, but he has only 13 catches for 147 yards.
On Sunday, Douglas played 20 fewer snaps than Chism, a number that suggests offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels may have a new slot receiver he trusts.
That doesn’t mean Douglas is going anywhere. Chism and Douglas can be on the field together in packages that spread the offense out and use an extra receiver. Still, Chism’s efficiency has made it clear he can handle more, and that could come at the expense of snaps for Douglas or second-year receiver Kyle Williams.
After the game, Vrabel summed up the value of the group this way: “They're all ready to go. They all play different positions. That's not easy, you know, to learn three different positions and be able to step in there and block and make plays.”
In Other News...
Patriots May Have Just Telegraphged A Needed Boost At Receiver
The Patriots have spent much of training camp and the early part of the season juggling injuries, with 19 players already landing on injured reserve and that total possibly climbing again after the latest wave of knocks. Even so, the offense managed to look functional against the Raiders, which offered at least a small reminder that the receiver room can still survive the attrition long enough to keep moving.
Mack Hollins trip to injured reserve only sharpened the focus on what comes next at wideout, especially with the unit so thin already. A.J. Brown is first eligible to return in Week 6 after missing the required four games with an ankle sprain, and the roster move has prompted the obvious question in New England: whether the Patriots were simply making room for a much-needed boost at receiver. [Read more 🡒]
Josh McDaniels May Be Unlocking What Patriots Fans Wanted From Drake Maye
The Patriots finally got the kind of offensive explosion they have been waiting for from Drake Maye in Sundays 45-17 rout of the Raiders, and it came with a sharper, more aggressive feel than anything they had shown early this season. Maye threw four touchdowns in the win, continuing a two-game stretch that has put his arm talent and downfield promise front and center in the New England offense.
For a team trying to build real momentum around its young quarterback, the timing matters almost as much as the production itself. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky pointed to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels for the adjustments that helped unlock Maye, and the early results have given Patriots fans reason to wonder whether this is the version of the passing game they were hoping to see all along. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots May Have Found Their Right Tackle Sooner Than Expected
The Patriots offensive line has been hit hard by injuries, with Mike Onwenu and Will Campbell among the players affected, and that has forced some quick shuffling up front. In that mix, Caleb Lomu has started to look like more than just a temporary patch. The first-round pick stepped in at right tackle during a recent game and held up well enough to put himself squarely in the conversation for a bigger role.
For a team trying to stabilize one of the most important spots on the line, that matters. New England is already thinking ahead to life beyond Morgan Moses, and Lomus early work suggests the Patriots may have found a possible long-term answer sooner than expected. What makes the picture even more interesting is how quickly the rookie has had to adapt to the job while the line around him keeps changing. [Read more 🡒]