NFL Writer Includes These Patriots Among Players Who Have Most To Accomplish

Many of the young and experienced Patriots players have a lot of work to do in the upcoming NFL season.

Among those players are a pair of rookie tight ends. This year, the Patriots spent their third-round picks on both Devin Asiasi and Dalton Keene.

Most expected Asiasi and Keene to see consistent playing time as rookies. That expectation became even more real when Matt LaCosse, who likely would have entered training camp as the Patriots’ top tight end, decided to opt out of the 2020 campaign. LaCosse’s decision was definitely in favor of Asiasi and Keene. NFL writer Gregg Rosenthal added the two Patriots rookies among the players with the most work to do before Week 1.

“If you aren’t familiar with the Patriots’ dueling third-round picks, you aren’t alone,” Rosenthal wrote.

“They were not at the top of a relatively weak tight end class. Yet still, no rookie tight ends have a better chance to play right away.

“Following veteran Matt LaCosse’s opting out of the 2020 season, the Patriots have virtually no one else at the position. Bill Belichick loves his tight ends, and the last Patriots reboot in 2010 also included a pair of rookies at the position named Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, who combined for 87 catches and 16 touchdowns in Year 1. No one is expecting Asiasi and Keene to approach that level of production, but this New England offense desperately needs some youth and speed to emerge. There aren’t many other options on the roster.”

Unprecedented Times For All Patriots Players

Unfortunately for Asiasi and Keene, they’re entering the NFL in unprecedented times. All preseason games were stopped due to the coronavirus pandemic, and New England only will have a few weeks of padded practice before the start of the regular season.

So if the third-rounders manage to hit the ground running next month, it will be all the more impressive.