5 mistakes the LA Chargers must avoid making this offseason
By Jason Reed
3. The LA Chargers letting Hunter Henry walk away
The LA Chargers cannot afford to let Hunter Henry walk away this offseason. Yes, he is going to be an expensive signing and paying tight ends does not always result in the best outcome (see: Austin Hooper).
However, Henry became one of Justin Herbert’s favorite targets in 2020 and the Chargers cannot afford to just let that walk away. Not only because of the rapport already built between the two, but because of the potential other options as well.
The team just is not in a position to replace Henry this offseason. They can’t draft a high-end tight end as they need to focus on the offensive line and other needs. They can get one in the mid-to-late rounds, but they won’t be hugely impactful in 2021.
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There is also the speculation of the team trading for Zach Ertz but I do not love that idea either. Ertz is older than Henry, is on his way down in the league while Henry is on his way up and would cost draft capital that the team needs to build the roster at other positions.
The Chargers have their star quarterback on a rookie deal. That means they can afford to pay a premium for positions such as tight end and not doing so while they still have that luxury is poor roster management.
Whether it be an extension or just a franchise tag to give the team one more offseason to figure it out, the LA Chargers absolutely cannot allow Hunter Henry to suit up for another team in 2021.