The New England Patriots have certainly made over their receiving corps this offseason, adding veterans Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins via free agency and then selecting Kyle Williams in the third round of the NFL Draft.
The Patriots didn’t stop there, however. They also brought in one of the most intriguing undrafted free agents available, signing former Eastern Washington wide receiver Efton Chism III.Chism has already made quite the impression in New England in both rookie minicamp and organized team activities and is coming off of a brilliant 2024 campaign in which he hauled in 120 receptions for 1,311 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Praised for his versatility, Chism seems to have a great shot of making the Pats’ 53-man roster even with the fierce competition at his position, and he has already earned himself a flattering comparison to a Patriots playoff legend.
“Undrafted free-agent receiver Efton Chism III got extensive work in the slot and also as a punt returner, with quickness and change of direction ability that sparked thoughts of an early-career Danny Amendola-type,” wrote ESPN’s Mike Reiss.Amendola spent five seasons in Foxborough between 2013 and 2017, and while he didn’t post tremendous numbers during the regular season, he was phenomenal in the playoffs, helping New England win a pair of Super Bowl championships.
In 13 playoff games, Amendola caught 57 passes for 709 yards and six touchdowns, with his best showing coming during the 2017-18 postseason when he hauled in 26 receptions for 348 yards and a couple of scores.
For a receiver who never achieved 700 receiving yards in any one individual season throughout his 13-year NFL career, those are some impressive numbers.
Chism still has to battle it out with multiple receivers to earn himself a roster spot, but he seems to already be carving out a niche that will make it very difficult for Mike Vrabel to leave him off the team.