It’s only April and the 2023 NFL Draft is still a week away, but NFL teams like the New England Patriots are already getting back to work in preparation for the 2023 season.
Patriots tight end Hunter Henry seems especially happy to be back at practice this week based on the recent video he made for New England fans.
Hunter Henry Shares Optimistic Practice Update
The Patriots shared a brief hype video from Henry on their official team Twitter account on Wednesday, April 19.
Good to be back 💪
Henry excitedly addressed Pats Nation in the video message, informing the team’s supporters that “we’re back in the building, getting to work, ready for the 2023 season.” He also shared that it’s “good to be with the boys,” referencing his teammates.
The veteran tight end is one of several players participating in the team’s voluntary offseason workouts, which began for New England on Monday, April 17. While players are prohibited from playing actual football during the first two weeks of the nine-week program according to NFL.com, they are currently allowed to participate in team meetings, work on their strength and conditioning, and rehab lingering injuries if necessary.
While the workload isn’t as intense as later practices, it can still be exciting for players to get back in the practice facility and reconnect with teammates after not seeing some of them for months during the offseason. It’s also an important time for players to start getting back in shape and preparing their bodies for the upcoming season.
Hunter Henry Helps Put Patriots Fans at Ease
Given the recent controversy surrounding New England, Henry’s message comes at a good time for anxious Patriots fans and can be viewed as encouraging for several reasons.
For starters, Henry still appears excited to be with New England after a disappointing 2022 campaign for both himself and the team. He went from scoring a career-high 9 touchdowns in 2021 to just 2 touchdowns in 2022 as the Patriots’ entire offense struggled, ranking 17th out of 32 teams in points per game and 26th in total yards per game. New England’s offensive woes played a large part in the team going 8-9 and missing the playoffs for the second time in three years.
Second, it’s notable that Henry mentioned being back with his teammates. The Patriots have had an unusually dramatic offseason by their standards filled with tension and trade rumors. Reports of friction between team owner Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick, Belichick and quarterback Mac Jones, and Jones and some of his teammates have created the impression of a fractured clubhouse and potentially toxic atmosphere.
Henry’s positive attitude suggests that perhaps some of those revelations were overblown and aren’t having much of an impact on team morale. If the situation was as bad as some reporters are making it out to be, Patriots players would probably be dreading the 2023 season rather than looking forward to it.
Henry is entering the final season of his three-year, $37.5 million contract with New England. The seven-year pro turns 29 in December, so he’s still young enough to net another multi-year deal if he has a strong season in 2023.
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Hunter Henry Has Encouraging Message for Patriots Fans