Patriots Playmaker Earns Oddly Ambitious Outlook

The New England Patriots' tight end Hunter Henry could emerge as a valuable asset for punters considering his potential rise in performance in 2025, especially with the developing chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye. Despite recent rankings placing him 16th among NFL tight ends, analysts suggest that Henry's role could expand due to new offensive acquisitions, making him a compelling target for those betting on his season performance.

The New England Patriots have made a concerted effort to add more playmakers for Drake Maye this offseason, but it's entirely possible that Maye will still favor his top weapon from 2024: tight end Hunter Henry.

Henry hauled in 66 receptions for 674 yards and a couple of touchdowns last season, serving as a reliable security blanket for Maye during the quarterback's rookie campaign. He also posted a catch rate of 68 percent.

Well, recently, Pro Football Focus ranked Henry 16th amongst NFL tight ends, and Ryan McLaughlin of Musket Fire seems to feel that is a bit disrespectful. In fact, McLaughlin went as far to label Henry a potential top 10 player at his position entering 2025.

"For one, Henry has a potential superstar at quarterback who will make better decisions in his second year than he did as a rookie. And that likely includes utilizing Henry as a safety valve," McLaughlin wrote.

"Thanks to the presence of Stefon Diggs, Henry will likely see a lot of one-on-one coverages down the middle of the field, and [Josh] McDaniels will likely find ways to get Henry the ball outside of the passing game."

McLaughlin's take is probably a bit ambitious for a couple of reasons. First of all, calling Maye a "potential superstar" is way too premature. He totaled 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions through the air last season and also fumbled nine times.

In order for the former No. 3 overall pick to develop into a superstar, he will need to do a much better job taking care of the football. Additionally, while Maye could very well take a step forward next season, we also have to keep in mind that sophomore slumps are very common for second-year signal-callers. Just ask C.J. Stroud.

Finally, it stands to reason that Henry may see fewer targets next fall due to the acquisitions of Diggs, Mack Hollins, and rookie wide receiver Kyle Williams.

Henry is certainly a good player, but calling him a top 10 tight end is definitely pushing it.

Si