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New England Patriots TE Hunter Henry Cracks the Top 10

By John Armwood III

FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 03: Hunter Henry #85 of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - OCTOBER 03: Hunter Henry #85 of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second quarter in the game at Gillette Stadium on October 03, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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In 2021, there wasn’t much upside to the New England Patriots’ offense outside of the running game. However, Hunter Henry’s proven to be a beacon of hope.

In 2021, there wasn’t much upside to the New England Patriots’ offense outside of the running game. While the rookie QB Mac Jones looked impressive at times, the passing game overall was mediocre at best. In fact, the Patriots ranked slightly above average (13th overall), according to Statmuse.com. However, as the season progressed over time veteran TE Hunter Henry started to become Jones’ favorite target. Henry proved he’s extremely reliable and has a unique connection with the young QB.

For once, it appears Henry is finally gaining the recognition he deserves. Oftentimes he’s overlooked by other talented top TEs around the league. Yet, the numbers and style of play show he’s just as good at times, specifically in the red zone, as the Travis Kelce’s and George Kittle’s of the world. He’s proven to be one of the best red zone targets throughout the entire league! Bryan Horn reported for Pro Football Focus, that of the top ten TEs in the red zone, Henry ranked No. 1 overall. This list was based on the production of last season and Henry recorded a receiving grade of 90.2 in the red zone, per PFF.

"“The only 90.0-plus graded tight end of the 25 who qualified with 50 receiving snaps in the red zone, Henry caught nine of his 18 targets.”"

https://twitter.com/PFF_Patriots/status/1549514421210271745?s=20&t=_P1qAH74I635iArtsLqEVw

Why Hunter Henry’s Impact is Vital to Mac Jones

In 2021, Hunter Henry had a slow start to the season, he recorded 11 receptions for 115 yards and 4 touchdowns through the first five weeks of the season, per ESPN.  However, that quickly ramped up as he began seeing the field more and Jones became more comfortable with him. The three major components to help assure Jones develops and exceeds expectations are a legitimate running game, good defensive play, and a tight end connection. Many QBs around the league use the TE as a security blanket.

Naturally, these guys are much bigger targets and often are harder to game plan and account for. They’re often too big for defensive backs, but they also tend to be quicker and much more agile than a linebacker. Henry and Jones have established a connection and look to build upon it this offseason. These two have been working out with one another and appear to be friends on and off the field as well. The atmosphere in New England is on the up and up and many should be excited for a possible breakout year for both Jones and Henry!

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