The injury that knocked Hunter Henry out of the New England Patriots’ Christmas Eve loss reportedly is not considered serious.
The tight end is considered “day to day” with a knee injury and could play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
“He’s sore,” Rapoport tweeted. “But he has a chance to play.”
Henry suffered the injury on the Patriots’ opening possession when he collided with fellow tight end Jonnu Smith. He did not return to the game, which New England went on to lose 22-18 to the Cincinnati Bengals at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots’ top red-zone threat last season, Henry has seen his productivity decline in 2022. His catches-per-game (2.0) and yards-per-game (27.7) averages both are the lowest of his NFL career, and he’s caught just two touchdown passes after hauling in a team-high nine in 2021.
The Patriots also lost Smith to a head injury later in the game, leaving elevated practice squadder Scotty Washington as their only available tight end. Washington played 22 offensive snaps in his NFL debut and had an assist on Jakobi Meyers’ 48-yard tip-drill touchdown catch.
Smith is in the midst of his second consecutive disappointing campaign for New England, catching 27 passes for 245 yards and no touchdowns in 14 games. He’s found the end zone just once in 30 appearances for the Patriots and has averaged less than two catches and 20 yards per game since he signed in March 2021.
There had been no update on Smith’s condition as of midday Monday. The Patriots will hold their first practice of Week 17 on Wednesday.
Henry has played in every game this season, and Smith has missed just one, sitting out New England’s Week 5 win over the Detroit Lions with a knee injury. They’re the only two tight ends on the Patriots’ 53-man roster, with Washington and Matt Sokol providing depth on the practice squad.
The 7-8 Patriots must defeat the 8-7 Dolphins to keep their playoff hopes alive. Kickoff on Sunday at Gillette Stadium is set for 1 p.m. ET.
