Patriots Urged to Give Unheralded Weapon More Playing Time

The New England Patriots should give more snaps to this intriguing playmaker over the last few weeks of the 2024 NFL season.
Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Jaheim Bell (88)  in coverage against Philadelphia Eagles safety Tristin McCollum (36) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Aug 15, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots tight end Jaheim Bell (88) in coverage against Philadelphia Eagles safety Tristin McCollum (36) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images
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The New England Patriots are in dire need of offensive weapons and will certainly look to add pieces via free agency and the NFL Draft.

But is it possible that they have an answer already on their roster?

Cam Garrity of Patriots Wire thinks it's a possibility, which is why he is urging the Patriots to give more playing time to tight end Jaheim Bell over the final few weeks of the regular season.

"While Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper have been productive, Bell’s lack of playing time has left questions about his potential impact," Garrity wrote. "With Hooper set to hit free agency after the season, now is the time to design plays for Bell, allowing him to get meaningful reps and showcasing his potential as a future contributor. By integrating him more into the offense, the Patriots can determine if Bell can fill a larger role in 2025."

Tight end is one area where New England has actually been alright this season, as both Henry and Hooper have represented reliable targets for Drake Maye.

As a matter of fact, there is a possibility that the Pats could re-sign Hooper in free agency thanks to the camaraderies he has built with the rookie quarterback.

However, Garrity is right in his assessment that it makes sense to give Bell more snaps over the last month of the year. What do the Patriots have to lose?

Bell played his collegiate football at both South Carolina and Florida State and was selected by New England in the seventh round of the NFL Draft last spring.

He caught 39 passes for 503 yards and a couple of touchdowns with the Seminoles last season, and during his final year with the Gamecocks in 2022, he logged 25 catches for 231 yards and a couple of scores while also rushing for 261 yards while reaching the end zone three times.

The 23-year-old has been targeted just twice with New England, managing one catch.

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.