A couple days ago, former Panthers tight end Greg Olsen announced his retirement from the NFL. Olsen was by far the best player Carolina has ever had at that position and their production at tight end hasn’t been the same since he started suffering foot injuries in 2017. Last season, Ian Thomas and Chris Manhertz only combined for one touchdown catch.
While they have other pressing roster needs, adding a capable pass-catching tight end is a good idea this offseason. With that in mind, they should take a look at signing Hunter Henry of the Chargers if he hits the market.
Pros
What made Greg Olsen great was his reliability. In his prime, no tight end was more consistent or productive. He rarely dropped passes and was as close to a sure thing in the end zone as receivers get.
Henry has some of those same qualities in addition to a nearly-identical frame (6-foot-5, 250 pounds). His career catch rate is a solid 69% and he’s caught 21 touchdown passes so far in 55 games. In 2020 he only dropped two balls (a 2.2% drop rate). If nothing else, Adding Henry would give the Panthers a soft pair of hands and a better chance at scoring in the red zone (they ranked No. 28 in RZ touchdown rate this year).
Cons
Henry missed the entire 2018 season due to a torn ACL and nine more games in the four years he has played. That could be a concern if he suffers another knee injury. The real drag on Henry is his pricetag, though. The Panthers don’t have much cap space to work with and Henry’s market value according to Spotrac is $10.9 million a year. That’s a large slice of pie to carve out at tight end when you also need help at cornerback and left tackle.
Conclusion
Carolina has to prioritize positions that impact the passing game and picking up Henry would help. That said, the need for improved coverage and pass protection are more dire than another receiving weapon. Acquiring Henry may be unlikely, but if they’re going to add anyone offense it might as well be him.
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