NFL Free Agency 2020: 5 Best landing spots for Hunter Henry
By Samuel Teets
After four seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Hunter Henry may look for a new fit in the sparse class at the position in 2020 NFL free agency.
In 2019, Hunter Henry produced the best season of his young career. The 25-year-old appeared in 12 games and recorded 55 receptions for 652 yards and five touchdowns. Henry joins Austin Hooper as one of the only impactful tight ends available in 2020 NFL free agency.
The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Henry with the 35th overall pick in 2016. He dealt with minor injuries throughout his first two seasons before missing the entire 2018 season. While Henry possesses tremendous upside, his injury history looms like a black cloud. Even this past year, Henry failed to put together a complete 16-game season.
The young tight end did finally succeed in supplanting Antonio Gates with the Chargers this past season, which was the organization’s plan all along. It just took longer than expected. However, the organization now faces losing the heir apparent to one of the greatest tight ends of all-time.
In such a limited tight end market, Henry will receive interest from many teams. However, these five teams stand out as potential landing spots.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars drafted Marcedes Lewis with the 28th pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Lewis played in Jacksonville for 12 seasons before the team cut ties with him following the 2017 season. The Jaguars still need to find Lewis’ successor.
Jacksonville did draft San Jose State’s Josh Oliver in the third round last year, but the rookie only caught three passes. James O’Shaughnessy led the team’s tight ends with 14 receptions, 153 yards, and two touchdowns. In contrast, the two teams that appeared in the Super Bowl boasted starting tight ends that averaged 91 receptions, 1,141 yards, and five touchdowns.
The Jaguars cannot continue tolerating their mediocrity at the tight end position. If the team wants to re-capture some of the magic from their 2017 AFC Championship run, then O’Shaughnessy cannot be the team’s top tight end come September.