Hunter Henry was set to hit the open market as one of the top players at his position when the new league year begins on March 13. However, the New England Patriots have locked up the pass catcher with a new contract right beforehand. Here are the contract details on Henry’s new deal with New England.
A Look at Hunter Henry’s Contract Details
As first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo on Friday morning, the Patriots and Henry have agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth $27 million, with a max value of $30 million in total.
It’s a deal that keeps a productive tight end with whom the Patriots are already familiar in the fold for the new regime. Henry has spent the last three seasons in New England and has accumulated 133 receptions, 1,531 receiving yards, and 17 touchdowns during that time.
Henry was one of the few bright spots of a frustratingly poor Patriots offense that has struggled since the departure of Tom Brady. With a changing of the guard, as Jerod Mayo takes over for Bill Belichick, it looks as if Mayo and his staff valued Henry enough to keep him around for what they are building in Foxborough, Mass.
Henry heading into 2024 is entering his eighth season in the NFL after spending his first four years with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before signing with the Patriots ahead of the 2021 season.
It looks as if Henry has found a role and a home with the Patriots as he adds another three years’ worth of contractual stability with the organization. Henry will surely be one of the elder statesmen of the franchise now and will be called upon to be a leader in a locker room that has seen vast turnover as of late with more to come.
After catching passes from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe during his first three seasons in New England, it appears Henry will be working with a new quarterback in 2024 and beyond. The Patriots have the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and are in a great position to draft their future franchise quarterback if that’s the route they prefer to take.
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Regardless of their draft plans, it seems very likely that Jones nor Zappe will be the Patriots’ starting quarterback for next season.
The Patriots are third in the NFL behind only the Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders when it comes to available cap space, so while Henry may be one of the first moves the team has made, chances are he will not be the last, and as the new guys come in, the Patriots may turn to Henry to help set the new standard.
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