A "devastating" injury to a New England Patriots' free agent signee at tight end might have opened a door for a former Notre Dame football star. Julian Hill suffered what head coach Mike Vrabel is describing as "significant" during voluntary organized team activities, and it doesn't appear the franchise thinks he'll be able to contribute much in 2026 unless he takes some big steps forward in the healing process. While Eli Raridon is never going to root for a teammate to get hurt to get a shot at more playing time, it could be the former Irish TE's time to shine.
Hill signed a 3-year, $15 million contract with the Patriots during the offseason and was seen as a key acquisition for New England. However, Vrabel and his staff believe they have another option as they look for a body to fill the No. 2 tight end role behind Hunter Henry.
The Patriots selected Raridon in the third round of this spring's NFL Draft and they spent that pick on the talented tight end because they want the former Notre Dame player to be "the future" at the position for the franchise. It's not just the coaching staff that has been impressed with Raridon since he started participating in OTAs and mini-camps.
“Eli is doing a good job. It’s a lot coming into the league, trying to blend in with older guys, younger guys, the pressure of it, obviously getting drafted,” Henry, now an 11-year vet in the league. “I’ve been through it myself, so he’s been a sponge, trying to soak up as much as he can in the room. He’s getting better day by day. I’m excited to continue to work with him.”
Eli Raridon could see bigger Patriots role after Julian Hill injury
According to Athlon, the Patriots have no intention of looking outside the building to replace Hill. That means the job is Raridon's to lose. And it means that he could see quite a bit more action in 2026 than he expected.
So far so good for the Irish tight end who believes he's learned quite a bit already with months still to go until the preseason officially starts.
“It was awesome, really good learning opportunities,” Raridon said about his experiences with the mini-camp. “We have some really smart dudes in the offense. It’s been awesome this past month to learn from the vets like Hunter Henry and Drake Maye and to hear what they have to say about reading defenses. I’ve done a lot of growth, but there’s a lot more to do.
“Mentally, things are starting to slow down more than they were at the beginning. I have to work on a lot of things. Seeing guys like Hunter Henry, he’s a vet, he does things great, his details, techniques, fundamentals are on point. I have a long way to get there.”
The former Notre Dame star has a chance to get a jump on his NFL career in 2026. Now he needs to take advantage in a big way.
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