Tag: Hunter Henry Franchise Tag

Report: Chargers not using franchise tag on TE Hunter Henry

The 26-year old tight end will be hitting the free agency market.

Tight end Hunter Henry will be a free agent when the new league year begins next week.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chargers have informed Henry that they will not place the franchise tag on him.

Using the tag on Henry for the second straight year would have costed Los Angeles $12.7 million guaranteed. Instead, he is expected to receive a contract in line with the other top players at his position group.

The 26-year-old has amassed 1,265 yards and nine touchdowns in 26 games over the last two seasons.

Coming off one of his best seasons yet with quarterback Justin Herbert distributing the wealth, Los Angeles’ priority should now be to re-sign Henry to a long-term deal.

Chargers TE Hunter Henry not expected to receive contract extension before deadline

The 26-year old will be entering a ‘prove it’ year.

Chargers tight end Hunter Henry does not expect to sign a contract extension before the July 15 deadline.

“I don’t think anything will get done, but we’ll see,” Henry said, per Southern California News Group’s Gilbert Manzano.

Even though Henry is prepared to play on the franchise tag that he signed back in April, he’s not to worried about the lack of contract talks.

“I’m not worried about it,” Henry said. “I’m just going to go out there. I get a chance to play this year and do my thing this year. I’m pretty locked in on what I got ahead of me in the 2020 season. That’s what I’m locked in for, you know, I don’t like to look too far ahead.”

Henry, 26, has been a key focal point in the offense, averaging 12.6 yards per reception and posting 17 touchdowns over the course of four seasons. However, his durability has drawn some concern.

Henry has missed games every year since 2016, missing the entire 2018 regular season due to a knee injury and the first four contests this past season due to a tibial plateau fracture in his left knee.

Henry believes that he still has so much to prove before agreeing to a long-term extension.

“I think that’s the biggest thing I’m focusing on. Just trying to stay healthy,” Henry said. “I’ve just had some unfortunate injuries come my way. I feel the best I’ve felt in probably a couple years, for sure. I’m excited.”

If Henry can still healthy, he is primed for a big season.

Chargers TE Hunter Henry ‘fine’ with playing on franchise tag

Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry will be playing for a long-term deal if no agreement is made.

It appears mutual that both the Chargers and tight end Hunter Henry are hopeful to strike a long-term deal before the start of the 2020 regular season after getting the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason.

However, if the two parties are unable to come to an agreement, then Henry is fine playing out the season on the fully-guaranteed $10.6 million deal if it came down to it.

“I think it’s fine,” Henry told SiriusXM NFL Radio. “Obviously, I think I would like to get something done; just security, and long term and just with the team and the franchise. It’s another year of playing football, man, that’s how I look at it.”

The deadline for the two sides to work out a long-term extension is July 15. If no deal is reached, it sounds like Henry has no desire to holdout this summer.

The 25-year old Henry has been productive since entering the league in 2016, but he has dealt with an injury in each one of the seasons.

Henry played in only 12 games in 2019, but he had a career-high 55 catches for 652 yards and five touchdowns. He landed among the elite pass catchers last season.

The former Arkansas product is optimistic that he will be in the blue and gold for years to come.

“There were [talks] a while back, but we haven’t really done much since,” Henry said. “Hopefully we can get something going this summer and get it going that way,” Henry said.

Chargers, TE Hunter Henry were ‘getting close’ to contract extension

Tight end Hunter Henry is expected to be a part of the Los Angeles Chargers’ plans beyond the 2020 season.

The Chargers placed the franchise tag on tight end Hunter Henry earlier this month, and will now have until July 15 to reach a long-term deal.

However, that contract extension would have already been in ink. That’s until the coronavirus pandemic took the world by storm.

According to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper, Henry said that he was “getting close” to a multi-year deal with Los Angeles earlier this offseason but that the pandemic “put a delay on everything.”

Henry does not know how close both sides are at the moment, but he remains optimistic that a long-term extension can be reached sooner than later.

From Henry’s comments, we can now justify that he will be in the team’s plans beyond the 2020 season, which should come by no surprise.

Despite being hindered by injuries the past couple of seasons, Henry has been a vital part of the offense.

When he is on the field, he is easily one of the league’s top tight ends. He’s averaging 8.9 yards per target and has 17 touchdowns in 41 games. Along with his impressive skillset as a pass-catcher, Henry has been a proven run-blocker.

After catching passes from Philip Rivers for the past four seasons, Henry will do the same thing, but it will be from Tyrod Taylor and Justin Herbert moving forward.

Henry expects more play action and more mobility from the quarterback position. The former Arkansas product said he texted Herbert shortly after he was taken as the No. 6 overall selection in last week’s NFL draft.

Report: Chargers TE Hunter Henry signs franchise tag

Hunter Henry will be back for at least another year.

Chargers tight end Hunter Henry has signed his franchise tag, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. That tag would pay Henry roughly $10 million for the 2020 season.

Bringing Henry back was a priority for general manager Tom Telesco and coach Anthony Lynn heading into the offseason.

“I think he’s one of the better combo tight ends in the game as far as blocking and receiving, and just what he brings to the locker room in terms of his character and work ethic,” Lynn said during the combine.

Henry, 26, has been a key focal point in the offense. However, his durability has drawn some concern.

Henry has missed games every year since 2016, missing the entire 2018 regular season due to a knee injury and the first four contests this past season due to a tibial plateau fracture in his left knee.

Henry is averaging 12.6 yards per reception and has scored 17 touchdowns during his four seasons with the Bolts.

The franchise tag will essentially serve as a prove-it deal, making sure that the former Arkansas product can stay healthy for a full 16-game slate before making a long-term commitment.

Report: Chargers franchise tag TE Hunter Henry

The Los Angeles Chargers are keeping a playmaker for another season.

The Los Angeles Chargers have placed the franchise tag on tight end Hunter Henry, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

The tag, which will keep him around for one more season, will cost approximately $11 million in 2020.

The 25-year old missed one game as a rookie in 2016 and then two games in 2017 before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2018. He had his most productive season in 2019, but he sustained another knee injury that kept him out for a few games, drawing some durability concerns.

When healthy, he is easily one of the league’s top tight ends. He’s averaging 8.9 yards per target and has 17 touchdowns in 41 games. Along with his impressive skillset as a pass-catcher, Henry has been a reliable run-blocker.

The Chargers know what he is capable of doing when he is on the field, but the team wants Henry to put together a full healthy season before making a long term commitment.

Report: Chargers ‘likely’ to franchise tag TE Hunter Henry

The franchise tag makes a lot of sense for tight end Hunter Henry.

The Los Angeles Chargers would like to work out a multi-year deal with tight end Hunter Henry, who is set to be a free agent. But they are more than likely willing to franchise tag him, according to NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.

The franchise tag would pay Henry a little over $11 million in 2020, per Over the Cap. That would be a significant increase in pay on his $1.2 million base salary for 2019.

Even though the franchise tag would be expensive in the short term, it’s arguably the most reasonable option for Los Angeles.

The 25-year old missed one game as a rookie in 2016 and then two games in 2017 before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2018. He had his most productive season in 2019, but he sustained another knee injury that kept him out for a few games, drawing some durability concerns.

When healthy, he is easily one of the league’s top tight ends. He’s averaging 8.9 yards per target and has 17 touchdowns in 41 games. Along with his impressive skillset as a pass-catcher, Henry has been a reliable run-blocker.

The Chargers know what he is capable of doing when he is on the field, but the team might want Henry to put together a full healthy season before making a long term commitment to him.

Therefore, the franchise tag makes a lot of sense. Los Angeles will have now  until March 10 to March 12 to apply the tag (if that’s the direction they do go).

Will Chargers place franchise tag on TE Hunter Henry?

Should the Los Angeles Chargers use the tag on tight end Hunter Henry?

There’s no doubt that the Los Angeles Chargers want to bring back one of their best offensive players in tight end Hunter Henry. Henry is set to be a free agent in March, and if L.A. wants to retain him, they might have to call the Brinks truck to do so.

Henry has been banged up throughout the career, but he is easily one of the league’s top tight ends when healthy. He is a complete player at the position, showing the ability to be dangerous as a pass-catcher and reliable as a blocker. It’d be a mistake for L.A. to let him walk and look to match that type of talent elsewhere.

That is why the franchise tag should be in play for the 25-year old tight end. The Chargers know what he is capable of, but the team might want Henry to put together a full healthy season before making a potential tight end market setting long term commitment to him.

So what is the franchise tag?

A franchise tag is used by a club to prevent players from leaving by keeping them on the roster for another season. A set price for each position is determined by the league prior to free agency, and if the two parties are not able to agree on a long term deal by the summer, the player plays on the one year deal that season.

What would it cost Los Angeles?

The franchise tag for tight ends is projected to be just over $11 million, per the Over The Cap. Using the franchise tag makes sense here. Want Henry to prove himself for one more season before handing over the check? Give him the tag, which would pay him even a little bit more what he would likely make annually for multiple seasons before making the commitment.

Teams can first designate franchise players on Feb. 25 and must do so by March 10 at 4 p.m. ET at the latest.

If the Chargers want to bank on the former Arkansas product, I expect Henry to likely end up with a four-year deal for $36 million and $38 million in total value.