Los Angeles Chargers tight end Hunter Henry suffered a severe knee injury during his team's Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but the Chargers are holding out hope that he can return at some point this season.
“We're not putting him on IR. We're hopeful to get him back,” said head coach Anthony Lynn, according to Gilbert Manzano of The Orange County Register.
Henry, who caught four passes for 60 yards in the season opener, sustained a tibial plateau fracture in his left knee. This is not the same knee on which Henry tore his ACL last year, but it's obviously still a major injury.
Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com reported that Los Angeles is expecting Henry to miss four-to-six weeks.
Henry, who played his collegiate football at the University of Arkansas, was originally selected by the Chargers in the second round (35th pick overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft.
The 24-year-old played in 15 games during his rookie campaign, catching 36 passes for 478 yards and eight touchdowns. He then followed that up by appearing in 14 contests in 2017, hauling in 45 receptions for 579 yards and four scores.
Henry was expected to be a key part of the Bolts' offense last season, but he tore his ACL in May 2018, ending his season.
With Henry out for the foreseeable future and wide receiver Mike Williams' status for Los Angeles' Week 2 matchup against the Detroit Lions in question due to a knee injury of his own, the Chargers now actually find themselves limited on weapons in the aerial attack.