Why the Patriots Couldn’t Risk Letting Hunter Henry Get Away
The New England Patriots secured tight end Hunter Henry to a two-year extension worth up to $20 million.
The deal includes a base value of $16 million, $14.5 million in bonuses and guarantees, and a $4.2 million signing bonus.
Henry has brought stability since joining the Patriots, as he has had 40 or more catches in each of his first five seasons, tying him for the second-longest streak by a tight end in team history, trailing only Ben Coates (six).
The 31-year-old is coming off a career-best 768 receiving yards on 60 receptions with seven touchdowns. In four playoff games last season, he notched nine catches on 15 targets for 112 receiving yards and one touchdown.
He currently sits third all-time in Patriots’ history for receptions among tight ends (259). Since he joined the NFL in 2016, he sits fifth among tight ends in receiving touchdowns (47), and sixth in receptions (455) and receiving yards (5,295).
Henry has become a key fixture in New England’s offense, especially as a primary target for star quarterback Drake Maye. He will continue to serve as a security blanket in the passing game for Maye as the Patriots look to push toward another Super Bowl run.
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New England enters the 2026 season as a Super Bowl favorite with the hope that Maye takes another leap forward after his MVP-caliber campaign.
The Patriots’ next step before next season is securing star cornerback Christian Gonzalez to a lucrative extension that locks him in for the long haul.
