The New England Patriots continued to address their issues in the trenches on offense Wednesday, agreeing to a deal with tight end Julian Love. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network first broke the news of the Love signing, along with safety Mike Brown.
UPDATE: Hill is getting a three-year deal from the Patriots, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
Hill, 25, signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2023, and has played 45 of 51 possible games as mainly a blocking tight end. He was inline on 310 of 441 offensive snaps in 2025, with roughly an even split between the left and right side (via Pro Football Focus). He chipped in as a pass-catcher with 27 receptions over the past two seasons and occasionally lined up in the backfield.
The ex-Dolphin is merely the latest in what’s been a concerted effort by the Patriots to improve their blocking in front of quarterback Drake Maye, beyond just the offensive line. They also signed guard Alijah Vera-Tucker and fullback Reggie Gilliam on Monday.
Needs remain for tackle depth in New England. But the Patriots have certainly shown a commitment to protecting their young franchise quarterback and beefing up their run game, and they’re hoping that the collective group proves to vastly improve upon a disappointing playoff run and an ugly Super Bowl performance.
Matt, a North Andover, Massachusetts native, has been with The Sports Hub since 2010. Growing up the son of Boston University All-American and Melrose High School hall-of-fame hockey player Steve Dolloff, sports was always a part of his life. After attending Northeastern University, Matt focused his love of sports on writing, extensively writing about all four major Boston teams. He also is a co-host of the Sports Hub Underground podcast and is a regular on-air contributor on the Sports Hub. Matt writes about all New England sports from Patriots football to Boston Celtics and Boston Bruins.