The New England Patriots were one of the most active teams during free agency, looking to improve a roster that finished with a 4-13 record in 2024. The offseason started with the firing of Jerod Mayo and replacing him with Mike Vrabel, before spending more money in free agency than any team in the NFL.
The team nailed the draft, too, improving the roster at key positions, including on the offensive line and at receiver. It’s a Patriots undrafted free-agent wide receiver who is stealing all of the headlines at the moment, though. Former Eastern Washington Eagles wide receiver Efton Chism III has been one of the surprise stories of the offseason, performing well in OTAs and has a great chance of making the Patriots’ 53-man roster.
However, if Chism doesn’t make the Patriots roster or another NFL roster, he’ll have strong interest from elsewhere in the sporting landscape.
Every team in the CFL has released a list of 45 players who are either unsigned, playing in the NFL, or college. Those CFL teams hold exclusive negotiating rights to the players on their lists, and Chism has shown up on the list for the BC Lions.
he 23-year-old receiver has impressed in training camp and has already drawn comparisons to some notable Patriots’ receivers of the past: Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, and Danny Amendola.
Chism spent five years at Eastern Washington, catching 348 passes for 3840 yards and 37 touchdowns while averaging 11.0 yards per reception. His ability to play out of the slot has him making waves in training camp, and Chism is now in a good position to make the Patriots roster.
The Patriots’ receiving room needed a breath of fresh air heading into the 2025 season. Tight end Hunter Henry led the team with 674 yards, and there hasn’t been a 1,000-yard receiver on the roster since Julian Edelman in 2019. The team added Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins in free agency while adding Kyle Williams in the draft, so Chism isn’t a lock, but his performances have made him worth keeping an eye on.
If Chism doesn’t make the Patriots roster, he’ll likely draw attention from other teams around the NFL, as well as the BC Lions in the CFL, who will be keeping a close eye on the next few months.
