Hunter Henry: “This Offense Is Built For Tight Ends”

If there were any concerns about signing two uber-talented tight ends in the offseason, it isn’t coming from the two that play the position.

Just a day after the Patriots gave former Titan Jonnu Smith a four-year, $50 million contract they handed out another hefty deal to tight end Hunter Henry, formally of the Chargers. Both were widely considered the top two players on the market at their position and now they are both a part of a revamped but not unfamiliar offense for the Patriots.

“We talked about it. I definitely addressed the issue,” Henry said in response to the presence of Smith on the roster. “This offense is built for tight ends and obviously they’ve had a lot of success with two tight ends. We’re completely different players than the guys of the past. Those guys are great football players, obviously, and have a tremendous legacy here. We’re not trying to be those guys. We’re going to be ourselves. Just looking forward to the challenge ahead, but this offense has tradition with two tight ends so I was excited about the opportunity.”

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Henry certainly knows his Patriots’ history, referring to the likes of Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, and Martellus Bennett. To a lesser extent, Daniel Graham and Christian Fauria played an important role in the Patriots’ second and third Super Bowl victories in the early 2000s. Henry and Smith hope to replicate that as the Patriots look to return to the playoffs in 2021.

The presence of both players will help the offense tremendously regardless of whether Cam Newton or rookie Mac Jones is under center. In 2020, Smith, a former third-round pick of the Ravens in 2017, hauled in 41 passes for 448 yards and eight touchdowns. Henry, on the other hand, caught 60 passes for 613 and four touchdowns. The Patriots, as a team, had just 18 receptions for 254 yards and one touchdown from the tight end position. In 2019, Patriots tight ends caught just 37 balls in the first post-Gronk season. Needless to say, the position has been nearly non-existent for the Patriots the last two seasons. And now they have two of the best in the league, ready to build their own New England legacy.

“Boston TE Party. Let’s bring it back. You know what I mean?” Smith said on Tuesday. “Hell of a player. Hell of a tight end. Hell of a man. You know, we’re going to do great things together.”