The New England Patriots are riding a seven-game winning streak and sit atop the AFC East with a record of 8-2. But as they get ready for the New York Jets on Thursday night, they’ve run into some adversity at the tight end position.
According to ESPN’s Mike Reiss, Austin Hooper is dealing with a concussion, and while the Patriots are on a short week, Reiss believes that Hooper would not have practiced had the team been on a normal schedule. With Thursday’s game two days away, there’s a real chance that Hooper could miss the game even if he clears concussion protocol, which leaves a big hole in New England’s starting lineup.
While it’s not ideal to be without a veteran, it creates an opportunity for someone else. That player could be CJ Dippre, who joined the Patriots as a UDFA at the beginning of the season and may reintroduce himself to Patriots fans on Thursday night.
Patriots May Turn to Rookie CJ Dippre After Austin Hooper’s Concussion
While the Patriots still have Hunter Henry to serve as the TE1, Hooper still had a sizable role with 13 catches for 174 yards and a touchdown on 356 offensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and will need to be replaced for Thursday’s game.
As it stands, Dippre is one of two tight ends on New England’s practice squad. While the Patriots also have Thomas Odukoya on the roster, who played in two games with the Tennessee Titans last season, he didn’t arrive in Foxborough until he was signed to the practice squad on Oct. 16, giving Dippre a leg up after participating with the Patriots through training camp and the preseason.
While the Patriots could tab fullback Jack Westover to also play some snaps at his natural position of tight end, Dippre may be the logical choice because of his skill set and experience with the current coaching staff.
Dippre has some receiving chops, catching 65 passes for 782 yards and three touchdowns during his collegiate career with Maryland and Alabama. Playing with the Patriots this preseason, Dippre also ran a route on 73.9% of his snaps, although he didn’t reel in his lone target in a Week 2 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings.
Although he doesn’t profile as a strict blocker, he can contribute in that area, logging a 55.0 grade on 36 run-blocking snaps according to PFF this preseason.
With Hooper’s status uncertain and limited options elsewhere, Dippre could be the player that gets elevated before Thursday’s game. It could give the Patriots a “next man up” scenario to account for Hooper’s concussion and may give Dippre a chance to stick around on the active roster if all goes well.