New England Patriots - NESN.com
In the wake of a disappointing 2024 campaign, the New England Patriots front office made it a goal of theirs to add more playmakers to their offense this offseason, particularly at the wide receiver position.
With that in mind, the team went out and signed Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency, while also using one of their third-round draft picks to select Kyle Williams out of Washington State.
Add them to a crop that already features Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja’Lynn Polk, and Javon Baker, and there’s going to be a lot of competition at this position come training camp.
And yet, one name that keeps on popping up in the wide receiver discussion is Efton Chism III. An undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington, Chism latched on with New England, with the team hoping he could fill the slot receiver role previously manned by Julian Edelman and Wes Welker.
The competition at wide receiver is stiff, but Chism has emerged as a standout performer during the team’s OTAs. In fact, Chism has stood out so much that Greg A. Bedard of Boston Sports Journal already thinks he’s in contention for a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.
“I’ve already taken him seriously,” Bedard said on “The Greg Bedard Patriots Podcast.” “It’s going to be hard to keep him off the roster. Look, the guy just, he gets open really well, quickly, and he catches the ball.”
Chism starred for three seasons with Eastern Washington before he declared for the 2025 draft. In 2024, Chism caught 120 passes for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns, which earned him FCS First-Team All-American honors.
Even though he may not have heard his name called during the draft, Chism could still make a name for himself in the NFL with the Patriots. Only so much weight can be put into OTAs, but it looks like Chism is a name worth keeping an eye on in Foxboro over the next few months.
