Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry has already been lost for the season before it ever began, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports he suffered an ACL tear during practice on Tuesday.
This is particularly brutal news, as the 2018 season was being hailed as Henry’s coming-out party. The Chargers chose not to bring back future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates this season with the express intent of making Henry their go-to tight end.
In two years since being selected in the second-round out of Arkansas in 2015, Henry has caught 81 passes for 1,057 yards and 12 touchdowns.
One wonders if this injury will prompt the return of Gates to the Chargers. He’s yet to sign with a team and yet to say he’s retiring.
So who do the Chargers have to replace Henry?
As the team begins to look towards the future, it will require finding his replacement since the depth at the position lacks significantly and they don’t have a true No. 1 TE. General manager Tom Telesco stated how the injury occurred and their plans in regards to addressing the glaring hole at the position in his press conference.
“He finished the route, jogged back, and just felt like something grabbed at him. It’s not typical to see ACL injuries like that. We’ll look at all the options that are out there,” Telesco said.
TE Virgil Green is next up on the depth chart. Green has only has 71 catches for 807 yards since joining the NFL in 2011. He’s best utilized as a run blocker rather than a pass-catcher, so he wouldn’t be an ideal No. 1 tight end for them.
Many have to wonder whether Los Angeles will consider bringing back Antonio Gates after being released from the team in April. Even though Gates will turn 38 in June, he has eight Pro Bowl appearances and three first-team All-Pro selections on his career resume, all with the Bolts. He is familiar with the system and has shown that he may have one more year left in the tank. There aren’t a lot of options on the market, but some other free agent tight ends that the team could consider include TE Julius Thomas, Coby Fleener, Brent Celek and Jeff Cumberland and Zach Miller.
Could Gates actually return for another season? Why not? He is clearly available. What do you think?
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