The Chargers did what they could to show their appreciation to tight end Antonio Gates, one of the best players in the team's history, as they made plans to move on.
Tuesday, those plans might have changed.
Gates' replacement, third-year tight end Hunter Henry, suffered a season-ending knee injury during the team's first organized team practice activity, tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament during a drill.
Tuesday was the first day this offseason the Chargers could have the offense and defense facing off in drills, though contact is prohibited.
Henry, the team's second-round pick in 2016, was inked into a prime role in the offensive plans for 2018.
"We really felt like this is Hunter Henry's time," general manager Tom Telesco said as the team announced it wouldn't be re-signing Gates nearly a month ago.
The Chargers' reasoning was solid. As a rookie, Henry caught eight touchdowns and, in his second year, the offense moved best when he was a big part of the plan. And, after learning from Gates, he was ready to be a star.
"He took me under his wing and taught me everything he could these past two years," Henry said of Gates earlier this offseason. "It's been incredible. He's still a great friend of mine. I talk to him. ... It's been really cool to be able to play with him these past two years. But definitely, I'm ready to step up. ... I'm ready to go."
With Henry out for the season, free-agent signing Virgil Green is the only tight end on the roster with meaningful NFL experience. Undrafted free agent Sean Culkin was on the roster last season, and Braedon Bowman spent time on the practice squad in 2017.
The Chargers also signed undrafted rookies Ben Johnson from Kansas and Cole Hunt from Texas Christian following the draft.
The big question now is whether the Chargers would re-open the door to Gates after nudging him out of it. He's 37 and still an unrestricted free agent without a home, but showed late last season that he could still be productive as a fill-in for Henry.
