FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry sustained a shoulder injury in Sunday’s practice and is having an MRI, according to a source.
While initial indications are that the injury doesn’t appear serious, it is painful and Henry could miss time in the preseason, sources say.
The Patriots host the Washington Football Team in the preseason opener for both teams Thursday.
Henry, 26, was a key piece in the Patriots’ aggressive offseason overhaul, signing a three-year, $37.5 million contract with the team after five years with the Los Angeles Chargers. The club envisions a potent multiple tight end set with Henry and fellow free-agent signee Jonnu Smith (four years, $50 million), formerly of the Tennessee Titans.
Henry was engaged in a one-on-one blocking drill on Sunday in the Patriots’ full-pads practice, and that is when he appeared to injure the shoulder. He later left for the locker room with a member of the team’s medical staff.
The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Henry, who entered the NFL as a second-round draft pick of the Chargers in 2016, had played in 55 of a possible 80 regular-games with the team over five seasons. Most notably, he missed the entire 2018 regular season after tearing an ACL in offseason practices, returning only for one playoff game.
He has totaled 196 career receptions for 2,322 yards and 21 touchdowns.