Patriots TE Henry (knee) out Sunday vs. Broncos

DENVER — New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry, who leads the team with 42 receptions and six touchdown receptions, was ruled out for Sunday night’s road game against the Denver Broncos because of a knee injury.

Henry suffered the injury early in the fourth quarter of last Sunday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, taking a hard hit to the area of his left knee from cornerback L’Jarius Sneed on an incomplete pass.

This will be the first game that Henry will miss as a Patriot since joining the team as a free agent in 2021, breaking a streak of 49 straight games played for the franchise. Henry had recently expressed pride in the streak (which includes one playoff game) after enduring some injury-filled years through his first five NFL seasons with the Chargers.

Six-year veterans Pharaoh Brown and Mike Gesicki are next on the tight end depth chart, although coach Bill Belichick has referred to Gesicki as more of a receiver in the team’s system.

Brown has nine catches for 178 yards and one touchdown on the season, while Gesicki has totaled 22 receptions for 189 yards and one touchdown.

Henry, who turned 29 on Dec. 7, has been the go-to receiver for quarterback Bailey Zappe since Zappe replaced Mac Jones as the team’s starting quarterback earlier this month. Over the past two games, Henry has totaled 10 catches for 106 yards and three touchdowns.

The Patriots (3-11) were prepared to be without Henry against the Broncos (7-7) as Henry didn’t practice Wednesday and Thursday, and then was limited on Friday.

“There’s a lot of talent in our tight end room, from top to bottom, if that’s the situation guys will be ready to step up,” Gesicki said earlier in the week.

The Patriots, who are currently in line for the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL draft, also ruled out starting safety Jabrill Peppers (hamstring), starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle), swing tackle Conor McDermott (concussion) and receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster (ankle).