New England Patriots: Hunter Henry, Jonnu Smith a ‘dynamic duo’ to watch
When it comes to the tight end position, the New England Patriots are back on top of the NFL when it comes to dynamic duos.
The days of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez are long over, but according to NFL.com, the Patriots duo of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith are the top tight end tandem in the NFL, and this is despite a less than adequate performance from Smith in 2021.
With how other teams in the AFC have ramped up their rosters, this is an area Mac Jones, and the Patriots offense could hold an advantage over other teams, especially if they get wide receiver help from the likes of DeVante Parker and speedy second-round pick Tyquan Thornton.
New England Patriots have the top tight end duo in the NFL based on potential
So if Smith didn’t live up to the money or the hype in his first season in New England, why does NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks still have this duo as tops in the NFL? Well, it’s based more on what they are capable of and the talent. In the prime of their careers, Brooks sees Hunter and Smith really showcasing in 2022 what Bill Belichick paid the big bucks for in 2021.
He writes:
"“Do not let the modest numbers put up by this veteran tandem in their first season together in New England (50 catches, 603 yards, nine TDs for Henry; 28 catches, 294 yards, one TD for Smith) overshadow their immense talent and potential. Henry, 27, and Smith, 26, are outstanding pass-catchers with the route-running savvy and instincts to find voids in coverage. In addition, they are interchangeable seam runners with the speed and quickness to scoot down the hashes on a variety of play-action passes that lure linebackers and safeties to the line of scrimmage. With quarterback Mac Jones expected to take his game up a notch after playing at a Pro Bowl level as a rookie, the Patriots’ dynamic duo could create plenty of headaches for opponents ill-equipped to deal with a versatile “12” personnel package.”"
As there is a lot of tight end talent around the league, this top ranking playing out really leans more on how Jonnu Smith improves in his second season with the Patriots.
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Although it took Henry a few games to really catch on, he did formulate chemistry with Mac Jones to turn into one of the team’s more dependable chain movers in 2021. The nine TD’s also show he can be a big target in the red zone, the type of target the team hasn’t had since the days of Gronk bulldozing defenders in the end zone.
The upcoming season should be even better for Henry if he is healthy. As far as Smith, it really comes down to the New England Patriots utilizing his talent. The team with Josh McDaniels as the offensive coordinator certainly tried, but the Patriots never really saw a consistent Jonnu Smith.
Whether it was jet sweeps or creative screens, the Patriots did try to get the talented tight end involved, but his inability to make catches in traffic seemed to take him mentally out of games. But he is still an “outstanding pass catcher” who just needs to find the focus that was missing a season ago when he missed minicamp and admittedly wasn’t as prepared as he should’ve been.
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This time around, Smith says he is doing whatever he can to make sure he’s ready, focused and prepared for his second season in New England.
"“Everybody has their own routine,” Smith said, via the Providence Journal. “Older guys have the right, as they should, to be here or not. That’s their right. But just for me, in my opinion, there’s such a great team-bonding element to it.“Just being here, being around the guys and just building that chemistry. To me, that’s what it’s about. And I think if we can improve that, I think everything else on the field will take care of itself. I’m just a big believer, I’m seeing it. I’m seeing it coming to fruition. It’s good.”"
While Smith is saying all the right things, the proof will be how he performs on the field and whether he can formulate the same chemistry with Mac Jones that Hunter Henry did towards the middle of the season.
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If it all plays out, the New England Patriots will have a tough offense to defend and an entertaining team to watch in a high powered AFC.