Anderson hopes to fill void at tight end

FOXBORO — Last season, Stephen Anderson was just trying to adapt the best he could.

That meant learning a new offensive system. It meant adjusting to being on a practice squad for the first time in his NFL career after two seasons on the Houston Texans 53-man roster. As a San Jose, Calif., native who went to the University of California and spent two years in Houston, it also meant acclimating to the cold New England weather.

No, the 2018 NFL season wasn’t [...]

FOXBORO — Last season, Stephen Anderson was just trying to adapt the best he could.

That meant learning a new offensive system. It meant adjusting to being on a practice squad for the first time in his NFL career after two seasons on the Houston Texans 53-man roster. As a San Jose, Calif., native who went to the University of California and spent two years in Houston, it also meant acclimating to the cold New England weather.

No, the 2018 NFL season wasn’t easy for this 26-year-old. Of course, after getting promoted to the Patriots 53-man roster at the tail end of the season, he earned a Super Bowl ring, so the struggle was worth it.

Now, Anderson hopes to make Foxboro his home in a different way — by helping the Patriots replace the retired Rob Gronkowski. The tight end is one of several looking to take advantage of the opportunity in front of him. It certainly helps that he was in New England for spring practices, unlike last year.

“When I got here after training camp, I felt like everything was going 100 miles an hour,” Anderson said. “The offense was in, we were starting to scheme. I was getting used to a lot. I was getting used to (going) from humid Houston to cold New England. It was just a lot of things I had to adjust to. But I feel a lot more comfortable now. I’m getting in. I’m putting in the work and the reps. I’m studying. I’m lifting. I’m doing everything I possibly can do to be the best player I can.”

Over the course of last week’s three-day minicamp, Anderson spent time with Tom Brady and the Patriots starting offense. Along with Ben Watson and Matt LaCosse, he took turns taking valuable reps. At the end of the week, Anderson finished with three catches — one behind Watson for the tight end lead.

With Watson set to serve a four-game PED suspension, Anderson will likely battle with LaCosse for that coveted starting tight end spot.

“There’s a lot of opportunity,” Anderson said. “But they want to see people that they can trust. If you’re going to be on the field with Tom, then they’re going to have to trust you. So, I’ve got to make sure my assignments are right. I’ve got to make sure I’m in the right spot when I need to be. I’ve got to make sure I’m playing a role on special teams. But yes, in general, there’s a lot of opportunity.”

After signing to the Patriots practice squad last September, Anderson earned a promotion to the active roster in January. He didn’t appear in a game, but he has experience. In 2017, his second year in the NFL, he played 15 games with the Texans, making five starts. That year, he caught 25 passes to go with 342 receiving yards and a touchdown. It was a big step up from his rookie season, when he caught 11 passes for 93 yards in 13 games.

He’s different from both LaCosse and Watson. You would define him as a "move" tight end — someone who’s smaller and more of a receiver rather than an in-line blocker. Anderson said he’s brought his weight up to 240 pounds, but don’t expect his playing style to change. He knows he needs to utilize his quickness to make an impact.

The Patriots tight end position will be under a close watch all season. The truth is no one can truly replace Gronk. The tight ends on this team know that and Anderson admitted that replacing the future Hall-of-Famer won’t be easy.

Of course, he’s happy to try.

“I think confidence is an important factor in this game. If you’re not confident, then you’re not going to do well,” Anderson said. “And personally thinking about it, I know there’s big shoes to replace, but none of us need to be Rob. We just need to be the best versions of ourselves. All we need to do is take one day at a time. We’re not going to peak right now. I think we’re going to develop as the season goes, as training camp goes, as OTAs goes. And we have been. We just have to keep that going.”