Getty Patriots tight end Hunter Henry.
The final five games of the season for the New England Patriots will be crucial, and there is a chance tight end Hunter Henry will miss one of them.
Henry has battled injuries throughout much of his career, but injury isn’t the reason we’re speaking of here. Henry and his wife are expecting their first child soon, and the veteran, who himself turns 27 on December 7, has said he will not play if the birth of his child falls on a gameday.
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Henry’s wife Parker is due in late December. The Patriots play the Buffalo Bills in a massive AFC East clash that would not only give New England a commanding lead in the division, but it would also provide Bill Belichick and Co. with a full game lead in the race for the best record in the conference.
With one more game remaining with the Bills in December and the league once again identifying them as the team to beat, the Patriots may need all hands on deck. Henry’s potential absence could mean New England will need their other tight ends to step up and to play significant roles.
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Jonnu Smith May Need to Produce His Best Game
The Patriots made two huge acquisitions at tight end during the offseason. Henry was one of them and Jonnu Smith was the other. Without question, Henry has had the bigger impact on New England’s offense with 35 receptions for 394 yards and 7 TDs.
Smith has just 25 receptions for 259 yards and a TD in 9 games. There is no disputing Smith’s athleticism, but he’s been plagued by injuries and drops which have limited his effectiveness.
If the Patriots are forced to play without Henry, it will be imperative for Smith to make his presence known in the passing and running game, as Henry has also proved to be a force as a blocker.
What About Devin Asiasi?
The Patriots had high hopes for Devin Asiasi when they drafted him in the third round in 2020. A series of injury issues kept him from making an impact as a rookie, and after the Patriots spent chunks of free-agent money to bring in Henry and Smith, it was clear Asiasi wouldn’t figure into the team’s offense unless there was an injury.
You can make the argument the Patriots could stand to run some three-TE sets that include Asiasi, Henry and Smith. Perhaps that involvement would help to get the second-year TE going in his career. Even without that, a potential Henry absence would seemingly mean Asiasi should be activated while the veteran is out.
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