When the New England Patriots signed undrafted free agent wide receiver Efton Chism in May, no one had high expectations for the former Eastern Washington standout. The undersized receiver without elite athleticism was expected to be more of a training camp body and maybe make the practice squad.
After impressing throughout the camp and preseason, Chism quickly became a fan favorite and made the 53-man roster against all odds. Yet, he continued to face an uphill battle. Despite the Patriots' need for more WR depth, the 23-year-old rookie was kept inactive in the first five weeks of the season.
Then, in Week 6, he finally got an opportunity as a kick returner and made the most of it. His NFL debut caught the eye of Patriots special team coordinator Jeremy Springer, who praised Chism with the words.
"Took care of the ball. Made great decisions. Happy with his progression," Springer said, per ESPN reporter Mike Reiss.
Efton Chism Could Be in Line for a Bigger Opportunity
This is an exciting development for Chism, who has been desperately waiting for his opportunity on the sidelines. In the first five weeks of the season, TreVeyon Henderson and Antonio Gibson shared the kick return responsibilities for the Patriots, and the opportunity presented itself after Gibson was sidelined with an injury.
Chism contributed with 129 yards on five returns, for an average of 25.8 yards per return. The league average for kick returns this season is 25.4, putting Chism's debut already at an above-average clip.
Springer's emphasis on "taking care of the ball" is especially important for a Patriots team that has struggled with fumbles this season. Chism's display of his decision-making and ball security could earn him a role in the offense as well.
Currently, Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte have dominated targets for quarterback Drake Maye, but the rest of the WR rotation is in flux. Demario Douglas is getting the most opportunity as the WR3, and Mack Hollins has had some moments, but neither player has played an important enough role that some of their snaps couldn't go to Chism. Fellow rookie receiver Kyle Williams is currently the WR5, playing in 17% of the team's offensive snaps so far.
The Patriots wouldn't want to take snaps away from him as they evaluate what he brings to the table, but Chism could certainly play himself into the rotation if he keeps up his momentum. A relatively easy schedule of the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and Atlanta Falcons up next should help him in that regard.