Patriots continue to upgrade passing game by signing Hunter Henry
The New England Patriots have spent money like never before in free agency, and Hunter Henry is the latest move.
If New England Patriots fans thought they hit the jackpot with Jonnu Smith, imagine gaining another grand prize like Hunter Henry. New England is looking to create a potentially deadly two-tight-end combo by signing the former Charger to a three-year, $37.5 million deal with $25 million guaranteed, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
At this point, you have to wonder if watching Tom Brady win the Super Bowl has something to do with New England essentially running to the free-agent store with bags of cash and buying whatever they see. On the flip side, you can understand why New England is making moves such as this. The personnel on the offense last year was abysmal. So, reinforcements were called in.
Last year New England tried to have a two-tight end group of their own by drafting two rookies. The experiment failed. Now, along with the other free agents that inked deals on Monday, the Patriots hope Henry can provide a boost to a team that was 7-9 a year ago, looking to make amends for a season that is so unfamiliar in the winning area of Boston.
The thought of Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry is exciting for the Patriots but not for the rest of the league.
There’s a reason to be wary of a Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith combination. Although Henry has had his fair share of injuries on the field, he was a viable threat for the Chargers. Last season, Henry caught 60 catches for 613 yards and four touchdowns.
Given how New England has tried and succeeded with a two-tight end look in the past with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, it’s no risk to try again with two proven players at the position. Although the latter had Tom Brady, it will be interesting to see whether or not Cam Newton or another quarterback can enjoy a similar level of production.
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The New England Patriots are really going for it this year. They may have lost Joe Thuney in free agency, but Bill Belichick isn’t done making moves just yet. He’ll find a guy for the line, but for now, he’s landed several weapons for the offense. Good for them, but bad for the rest of the league.