Veteran tight end Antonio Gates keeps going, but the end is coming. To prepare for that inevitability, the Chargers used a second-round pick on tight end Hunter Henry. And Henry is now officially a member of the team.
The Chargers have announced that Henry has been signed to a rookie deal. It’s a standard four-year slotted contract, which leaves the Chargers with only two unsigned draft picks: defensive end Joey Bosa and center Max Tuerk.
The Arkansas product who won the 2015 John Mackey Award is expected to get plenty of work right away, even with Gates still on the team. The faster Henry develops, the sooner Gates becomes a former Charger.