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Patriots locking up Hunter Henry is a wise early move for new regime originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo’s first big signing in New England is actually a re-signing. And it’s a wise one.
Per a league source, the team has locked up Hunter Henry with a deal worth $27 million over three years. According to the Boston Herald, it includes $16 million fully guaranteed. It ensures that a captain from last season and a proven veteran contributor remains with the team as it embarks on a roster rebuild.
Henry, 29, finished the 2023 season with 42 catches for 419 yards and six touchdowns. He suffered a knee injury in a December loss to the Chiefs that ended his season.
Had Henry hit the free-agent market, there was no guarantee that Wolf and Mayo would be able to get him to return. He was arguably the best tight end scheduled to hit free agency — Dalton Schultz had been slated to become a free agent but re-signed with the Texans this week — and would have provided a level of experience and dependability wherever he ended up.
The Patriots have been very open lately — particularly at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis — about how they are going to identify their “core” players and work to retain them. Safety Kyle Dugger and offensive lineman Mike Onwenu certainly fit that billing, but so too did Henry.
In January, soon after taking over the head coach role in Foxboro, Mayo praised Henry for his leadership despite him not being under contract for 2024 and beyond.
“You look at the offensive side of the ball, however you want to slice it,” Mayo told WEEI, “whoever the quarterback is … has to have some type of leadership ability … David Andrews, great leader on the offensive side of the ball as well. Hunter Henry, great leader on the offensive side of the ball.”
Tight ends Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown are set to be free agents when the new league year begins next week. But now the Patriots have their best tight end from the last few years…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/patriots-locking-hunter-henry-wise-180359544.html
Author : NBC Sports Boston
Publish date : 2024-03-08 18:03:59
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