The Indianapolis Colts struggled to find their offensive identity last season as the offense, especially in the passing game, seemed to go stagnant at times. Some of that blame lies on Jacoby Brissett, but the inconsistent performances and injuries in the receiving corps definitely did not help.
With the departure of Eric Ebron, the Colts are in need of another tight end to pair with Jack Doyle, who signed a three-year extension in early December. The obvious answer would be to look for that missing piece in the draft, but there are not a lot of standout tight end prospects in this draft class that really jump off the page.
If the Colts want an instant playmaker that can electrify this offense, GM Chris Ballard should look no further than Hunter Henry. Henry is set to be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and there will certainly be a lot of teams bidding for him.
The 25-year-old out of Arkansas has been with the Chargers for four seasons and has been a key part of their offense. With 136 catches for 1,709 yards and 17 touchdowns in just 41 games played, Henry can be a dangerous threat in any system.
So why will the Chargers most likely not re-sign him? Well, Henry has been somewhat injury-prone in his time with the Chargers. He missed all of the 2018 season with a torn ACL that he suffered in OTAs but recovered ahead of schedule and was active for the Charger’s Divisional Round game against the Patriots.
He also missed five weeks this season with a tibial plateau fracture to his left knee but returned and was very productive. His injury history is somewhat of a concern, but with the combination of speed and size that Henry possesses, he may just be worth the risk.
Frank Reich loves to utilize tight ends in his offensive play designs and that has been apparent with the success Ebron and Doyle have had in the past two seasons. The combination of Doyle and Henry can be compared to the combination of Zach Ertz and Trey Burton, which Reich won a Super Bowl with in 2017.
Doyle is a very good tight end who can be a signature part of this offense, but he can not do it alone. Chris Ballard needs to take the risk and sign Henry to a more modest contract that does not lock him down in Indy on a long-term deal initially but presents the option to do so if he can stay healthy and continue his dominance.
Whoever will be under center in 2020 could have two reliable safety nets with Doyle and Henry. This move could be what turns the offense around under Franck Reich and what gets this young and talented team back in the playoffs. It is time to make some moves with the $96.4 million in cap space.