Tight end Antonio Gates' potential return to the Chargers makes so much sense, even the team's general manager admits it's "a natural fit."
That means veteran quarterback Philip Rivers might not be the only one who wants the veteran tight end back after top TE Hunter Henry's season-ending ACL injury.
"Would be a natural fit, right?" Telesco wrote in a live chat with fans on the Chargers' official website (via NFL.com). "I saw that Philip voted for it. When it comes to roster moves, we are not a democracy. But we are not a dictatorship either. His vote was noted and accounted for. Antonio's accomplishments and contributions to this organization are immeasurable. We will see what the future holds. I don't have an update at this time."
This comes after Telesco promised recently that the team would "look at all options that are out there," per the Orange County Register.
Tom Telesco, on whether or not the Chargers could bring back Antonio Gates in the wake of Hunter Henry's ACL tear: "We'll look at all the options that are out there."
— Jack Wang (@thejackwang) May 23, 2018
"I'd always be excited if [Gates] walked back in the door," Rivers said this week. "It would get my vote."
Connect the dots: Henry won't play this season. Though Gates turns 38 this month, he would still be a red-zone threat. Oh, and there aren't a lot of viable options on the free-agent market: Brent Celek, Coby Fleener and ... well, the Chargers do have four tight ends on their current roster in Virgil Green, Sean McGrath, Sean Culkin and Braedon Bowman.
The bottom line, though, is that no one will duplicate what Henry, 23, brings to the attack. He's a major loss for the Chargers, and, as NFL.com notes, almost any solution feels like a patch.
