The New England Patriots had an eventful 2021 offseason, with one of their biggest acquisitions being tight end Hunter Henry. Henry would prove his worth on the field over the course of the season, catching 50 passes for 603 yards and nine touchdowns.
He was a major boost to a position that needed upgrades following the departure of Rob Gronkowski. He stayed healthy for the entire season, in addition to being productive.
While Jonnu Smith struggled to find his footing over the course of last season, Henry was able to become a reliable target for quarterback Mac Jones. He also had a stretch of four straight games with a touchdown.
His stellar performance was enough for him to make ESPN’s list of the top tight ends in the NFL, which was voted on by players, coaches and executives. He checked in at No.10 on the list.
Henry won a tiebreaker with Miami’s Mike Gesicki to land the final spot in the top 10, with voters preferring Henry’s traditional tight end presence over Gesicki’s vertical-threat ability.
Henry went for 50 catches, 603 yards and nine touchdowns last season despite playing with a rookie quarterback in Mac Jones and a run-heavy Patriots attack. And he did not record a single drop in 75 targets.
His good health and playmaking ability will be the focus once again. New England will need to rely on the position heavily, as the organization looks to keep pace with the rest of the talent in the AFC East.
