Getting ready to enter the NFL as a rookie, the focus for Efton Chism III was preparing for the physicality of the league.
After signing with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent, Chism went on to make the 53-man roster following a standout training camp and preseason.
Entering Year 2, his offseason focus then shifted to the mental side of the game.
“How can I stay on top of my playbook, stay watching film, keep doing all those little things to where when I get back I can still talk coverages, I can still talk plays and not feel like I’m three months behind or trying to catch up to the veterans how I felt when I first got here. So that I think was probably the biggest thing I did this offseason,” Chism said.
“Obviously speed training, always trying to get bigger, faster, stronger. But I think mentally that was a huge thing for me this offseason.”
His wide receiver coach quickly noticed the progression.
“Understanding the details a little bit better,” Todd Downing said during minicamp. “I think he had some exposure last year when Mack [Hollins] went out of moving around in different spots. That’s accelerating and improving as well this offseason. Being able to walk in and know what a concept is or what the formation is without having to think about it is going to help him play faster when the ball is snapped.”
After making the 53-man roster as a rookie, Chism appeared in eight regular season games, catching three passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. He then added a 20-yard reception in the Patriots’ Wild Card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The additions of A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs have only made the Patriots’ wide receiver room more competitive entering 2026, but Chism has embraced that reality and has continued to make plays this summer.
“I think as I’m starting to understand the NFL, I think every year is going to be like that,” Chism said. “That’s kind of a mindset I feel like I’ve adjusted to. It’s like every year, all of us are competing. We all want to play. We all want to make plays, and that’s just the nature of the NFL.
“So, I’m excited for it, and I appreciate it and I think competition makes us all better. I think me and Pop competing makes us better. I think Kayshon and A.J. make each other better. Everyone in the whole room, like we’re all trying to make each other better each and every day.”
