Dynamic Duo? Patriots' Tight Ends Get Matching 'Madden' Rankings
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots weren't able to convince former All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins to sign with them, which will make their tight ends that much more important as they try to evaluate quarterback Mac Jones in his third season.
And while Mike Gesicki and Hunter Henry aren't the top tight-end tandem that New England has had at the position during the Belichick Era, there's reason to think it could be one of the better ones in the league this season.
As such, EA Sports has unveiled some of their ratings for "Madden NFL 24" -- which will be released on Aug. 15 -- and both players were given an 81, tied for 15th among all tight ends. Clearly, the video game believes Gesicki and Henry are interchangeable.
Gesicki joined the Patriots on a one-year, $4.5 million deal this offseason after spending the first five seasons with the division-rival Miami Dolphins. While he didn't prove to be a fit in Mike McDaniel's system, Gesicki is just two years removed from catching 73 passes for 780 yards. The Penn State product is one of the better pass-catching tight ends in the NFL, and he should bounce back in 2023, which will likely increase his ranking in the game as the season goes along.
Meanwhile, Henry is preparing for his third season in New England. The former San Diego/Los Angeles Charger signed a three-year, $37.5 million deal with the Patriots before the 2020 season. He has 91 receptions for 1,112 yards to show for his first two seasons in New England.
It will be interesting to see how both Gesicki and Henry fit into offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien's system, and whether the Patriots could potentially re-sign both next offseason if they prove to be a successful tandem.
For what it's worth, offseason signee JuJu Smith-Schuster is the highest-rated Patriots receiver at 82. Smith-Schuster won a Super Bowl in his lone season with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, which followed five years with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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