Scratch tight end Hunter Henry off the list of potential New England Patriots signings.
The Los Angeles Chargers announced Friday that they’ve placed the franchise tag on the 25-year-old impending free agent, as NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported.
The franchise tag, if not rescinded, makes Henry the highest-paid tight end in the league at this time. And it leaves a trade as the lone option for a team looking to acquire Henry when the new league year begins at 4 p.m. ET on March 18.
Henry was on track to become the top available target at a scarce position, alongside recent Pro Bowlers in the Atlanta Falcons’ Austin Hooper and the Indianapolis Colts’ Eric Ebron.