The most impressive aspect of the New England Patriots' 2025 turnaround was the efficiency of their offense, which behind a massive Year 2 leap from quarterback Drake Maye climbed from bottom five to top five in a number of categories, including average points per play.
The Patriots were more balanced, more explosive, and scored more points after head coach Mike Vrabel helped overhaul the roster, and Josh McDaniels was inserted as the play caller. But New England was far from perfect, with season-long struggles in short yardage, pass protection, and red zone efficiency eventually catching up to the team in the postseason.
The Patriots' final 2025 roster was far from a finished product, and Vrabel will be looking to sharpen the edges of the offensive line and skill position groups this offseason. While the wide receiver group will demand much of the attention, with Stefon Diggs' future uncertain due to the lack of remaining guarantees in his contract, and the Patriots likely to explore external options on the trade market, tight end stands as one of the team's more underrated needs entering free agency.
Hunter Henry's production was undeniable, but he's now entering his age-31 season in what will be the final year of his deal. Austin Hooper, meanwhile, took a step back in the TE2 role under McDaniels, catching just 21 balls — the fewest since his rookie year in Atlanta back in 2016 — while ranking 48th out of 83 qualifying tight ends as a run blocker in 2025, per Pro Football Focus.
It became painfully obvious by season's end that the Patriots were lacking toughness at the tight end position. Per Next Gen Stats, over the final eight games of the regular season, New England's running backs averaged 7.9 yards per carry and scored 10 touchdowns with either an extra offensive tackle on the field, or defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga in the game at fullback.
McDaniels loves to utilize tight ends, and Vrabel would probably love to get less predictable by being able to run the football better in their normal 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) package.
The Patriots need to add a big, tough, versatile tight end this offseason, and while there's been plenty of buzz around Cambridge, Mass., native Isaiah Likely coming home to Foxboro, fans might be sleeping on the Baltimore Ravens tight end that would fit this team best.
The Patriots should make free agent TE Charlie Kolar a first-wave priority
Likely to the Patriots makes a lot of sense, as the Ravens just signed veteran Mark Andrews to a contract extension and are unlikely to pay two stars at the position.
They're likely hoping to keep Charlie Kolar a secret. The former Iowa State star has developed into one of the best run-blocking tight ends in the NFL — and he has untapped receiving upside that's just waiting to be unleashed.
In four years with the Cyclones, Kolar caught 168 passes for over 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. The Ravens actually selected Kolar (No. 128 overall) before Likely (No. 139) in the fourth round of the 2022 draft.
Both Kolar and Likely are expected to hit free agency this March, but the former might be Baltimore's preferred tight end to re-sign. Spotrac projects his market value at under $2 million per season; the site has Likely projected at $8.8 million.
That's a sizable difference that can be attributed mostly to production. Likely had 135 catches for over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in 63 games in Baltimore. Kolar caught just 30 balls in 47 games with four touchdowns in more of an inline tight end role.
Kolar's receiving prowess in college suggests that he could produce more as a pass-catcher if given the opportunity. And if the Patriots are content to stick with Henry, a team captain, at the top of the depth chart, the 6-foot-6, 270-pound Kolar could be the perfect complement. He was the 10th-best run-blocking tight end in football in 2025, according to PFF, and has been rapidly improving that area of his game over the past few years.
Kolar was barely used as an inline blocker at Iowa State. He blocked some on the perimeter, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, but was viewed more as a pass-catching prospect entering the 2022 draft.
Stuck behind Andrews and Likely on the depth chart during his rookie year, he put the work in to up his game at the point of attack, starting with special teams. He then blossomed into a key cog for one of the NFL's best annual rushing attacks, logging a career-high 402 offensive snaps in 2025.
The Ravens have undergone a regime change with John Harbaugh heading to the New York Giants, and former offensive coordinator Todd Monken heading to Cleveland. It's possible that a glue guy like Kolar gets lost in the shuffle this March, and the Patriots would be wise to poach him if that's the case.
There might not be a more attractive fit from a play-style and projected contract perspective than Kolar is for the Patriots.