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The New England Patriots spent a pretty penny in the 2021 offseason to bring in Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith in free agency.
Henry, signed a three-year deal worth $37 million and Smith inked a four-year, $50 million deal. Smith had an underwhelming season as a pass-catcher, but Henry was a key cog in the offense and was one of Mac Jones’ favorite targets.
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks wrote a column on the best duos in the NFL and he explained why this tight end combo will be the best entering 2022.
“Do not let the modest numbers put up by this veteran tandem in their first season together in New England (50 catches, 603 yards, nine TDs for Henry; 28 catches, 294 yards, one TD for Smith) overshadow their immense talent and potential,” Brooks wrote. “Henry, 27, and Smith, 26, are outstanding pass-catchers with the route-running savvy and instincts to find voids in coverage.
“In addition, they are interchangeable seam runners with the speed and quickness to scoot down the hashes on a variety of play-action passes that lure linebackers and safeties to the line of scrimmage. With quarterback Mac Jones expected to take his game up a notch after playing at a Pro Bowl level as a rookie, the Patriots’ dynamic duo could create plenty of headaches for opponents ill-equipped to deal with a versatile ’12’ personnel package.”
Jones has a year under his belt in the NFL and a much more developed relationship with both tight ends — which could very likely lead to an uptick in numbers by both players.
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