Patriots Country

Patriots' Hunter Henry OUT vs. Jets; Last Game in New England?

Hunter Henry enters free agency this March, meaning his career with the New England Patriots could be coming to an end.

Jeremy Brener

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The New England Patriots will be without tight end Hunter Henry for Sunday's game against the New York Jets, which means his 2023 season has come to an end. And, being that Henry will become a free agent in March, maybe Bill Belichick won't be the only one making their last Pats appearance at Gillette Stadium.

Henry has dealt with a knee injury that has held him out since Week 15 and the Pats have sorely missed his presence in the offense. His final stat line for the 2023 season credits him with 42 catches for 419 yards and six touchdowns, which led the team.

Patriots - Hunter Henry Jets

A sad sign of the Pats' season in microcosm: From the team that started in Week 1 against the Eagles last September, they will line up Sunday without their No. 1 quarterback (Mac Jones), running back (Rhamondre Stevenson), tight end (Henry), receiver (Kendrick Bourne) and offensive tackle (Trent Brown). And on defense New England has long been without leading pass-rusher Matthew Judon and top cornerback Christian Gonzalez.

When Henry joined the Pats in 2021, he signed a three-year deal worth $37.5 million. This makes him a free agent when the new league year starts in March.

At 29 years old, it will be difficult for the Patriots to retain Henry, especially as they enter a true rebuild with what could be a brand new regime entering for the first time since 2000.

The Pats could prioritize keeping Henry, a trusted target up the middle for whichever new face becomes the quarterback for the 2024 season, but there will likely be better value contracts out there at the tight end position.

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Henry has turned into a fan favorite in Foxboro, so his departure won't be easy for Pats fans. That being said, the door can now be opened for a new tight end to take over in the New England offense.

The Patriots are back in action tomorrow when they host the Jets. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET inside Gillette Stadium.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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