Efton Chism III isn't trying to make the Patriots' 53-man roster. He's making it impossible for Mike Vrabel and Eliot Wolf to cut him. That's the difference between a camp body and a legitimate roster threat, and Chism is operating squarely in the latter category during joint practices with Indianapolis.
The understudy to Mack Hollins—a guy whose own reputation for grinding is well-established in New England—is doing something harder than making splash plays. He's creating doubt. Every meaningful rep, every crisp route, every catch in traffic forces the front office to ask: can we really afford to let this guy go? In a crowded wide receiver room, that's the only currency that matters in August.
Chism's positioning here is interesting because he's not competing against marquee names. Romeo Doubs, A.J. Brown, and Jalen Hurd represent the elite tier. But the middle of this receiver depth chart is genuinely unsettled. With names like Tejhaun Palmer, Kyle Williams, John Jiles, and DeMario Douglas all in the mix, there's real competition for final roster spots. That's where Chism is making his stand, and his work ethic—specifically the way it mirrors Hollins' reputation—is the story because it's separable from talent alone.
Work ethic shouldn't be headline news in professional football. It's supposed to be baseline. But in practice, most players coast through August. The ones who don't? Those are the names that survive cuts. Vrabel's system rewards that mentality. This organization has always valued the guy who shows up early and stays late, and if Chism is forcing comparisons to Hollins' legendary approach, that's a competitive advantage that transcends measurables.
The real question isn't whether Chism makes the team—his effort suggests he has a legitimate shot. It's whether his performance forces the Patriots to carry an extra receiver on the final roster, or whether he can genuinely unseat someone higher on the depth chart. Either outcome changes how Vrabel and Wolf view their 53.