The New England Patriots and TE Hunter Henry have officially reached common ground.
Freshly minted head coach Jerod Mayo walked back his statements of “burning through cash” but that didn’t stop him from sending a few bucks Henry’s way. Darren Hartwell of YahooSports.com reported that the two camps have agreed to a three year contract worth $27 million in salary with a maximum of $30 million.
Free agency is set to begin soon and Hunter Henry’s name would have been towards the top of the tight ends list. The Patriots have been known to heavily involve the tight ends in their offense in the past. As the torch is passed from Belichick to Mayo, many are wondering what this next generation of Patriot schemes will look like. With this signing, it is clear Mayo is still placing a great deal of importance on the tight end position.
Offensive Woes in the 2022-23 Season: Hunter Henry Bright Light
The Patriots offense was very underwhelming during the 2022-23 campaign and finished with a 4-13 record. Quite the difference from what fans were used to under Belichick’s tenure. Despite the lack of production from the offense as a whole, Hunter Henry found some success. He finished with 419 yards and six touchdowns. When you factor in the quarterback play from Mac Jones, this becomes even more impressive.
As a 29 year old, Hunter Henry hopes that he still has productive years ahead of him but Bostonians might be wary about getting excited over this new deal. All the talk within the draft has people planning on a rebuild and becoming a younger team. Although the Patriots are in the top three of the league as far as salary cap, dumping $30 million into an older tight end that has seen some struggles might have some fans questioning the reasoning behind this deal.
Same Idea, Different Result?
We’ve seen this movie before with Belichick signing Jonnu Smith to a four year, $50 million contract back in 2021. He was a major disappointment and finished his Patriots tenure after 2 seasons with a total of 539 yards and a single touchdown. So are we about to witness the Patriots fall into the same trap?
Here’s why you can rest easy.
Hunter Henry provides much more to the Patriots than a typical tight end. This is someone who has been in the program, has veteran experience in the locker room, and has very high game IQ. This is something that is crucial to a young, rebuilding team. Especially if the team plans on bringing in a rookie quarterback. With a new staff and new players in the building, it is essential to have a confident voice in the huddle. This is something Henry can bring with his seven years experience in the league.
Looking Forward, What’s Next?
Now, this isn’t going to solve all the Patriots issues. They are still very thin at wide receiver and there have been concerns about the offensive line after the 2022 season. Obviously there is still a massive question mark over the most important position on the field: quarterback.
If the Patriots’ new staff decide to bring Mac Jones back for one more year, the Hunter Henry deal makes even more sense. The familiarity between Jones and Henry is something that could translate on the field in an impactful way. According to the Boston Globe, eight of Henry’s 17 touchdowns came from inside the redzone. Tom Brady had Gronk. Having a go to target, especially within the 20 yard line, can do wonders for a quarterback’s confidence.
If a new quarterback is brought in, at 6’5, Henry is long enough to be a deadly target for just about anyone. The Patriots hope that he will be making many of those plays in the upcoming season regardless of who will be taking snaps under center.
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