Ranking the top three available tight ends in free agency.

The 2020 free agency class isn’t deep at tight end. If the Green Bay Packers plan to sign a top player at the position, they’ll need to be willing to spend some money.

General manager Brian Gutekunst will attempt to improve the offense this offseason. The draft class is deep at wide receiver, so signing a tight end in free agency could make the most sense.

Here are the best available free agents at the position:

1. Hunter Henry

Hunter Henry is the best tight end set to hit free agency next week, but he might not be available for much longer. ESPN’s Eric D. Williams reported that re-signing Henry “is a priority” for the Chargers this offseason and that using the franchise tag is a “possibility”.

But if Henry is available, the Packers should be interested. When healthy, he’s among the best tight ends in the NFL. Henry is an outstanding receiver. In 41 career games, he’s put up 1,709 yards and 17 touchdowns.

The biggest concern is his durability. Henry is yet to complete a full 16-game season and has missed 23 regular season games over the past four years. That included missing the entire 2018 season due to a torn ACL.

That said, outside of the ACL injury which cost him a year, he’s played at least 12 games in every other season.

Still only 25 years old, Henry is an ascending player and an excellent pass-catcher. He’d give the Packers a mismatch on offense and Aaron Rodgers an elite tight end to throw the ball to.

2. Austin Hooper

Unlikely Henry, there’s little doubt that Austin Hooper will hit the market next week. And the Packers “plan to make a run” to sign him, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

Hooper has been a reliable part of the Atlanta Falcons offense over the past four seasons, and the most exciting part is that he’s improved each year.

Each season, Hooper has set a new career-best in receiving yards. In 2019, he finished with 787 yards and six touchdowns, despite playing in fewer games than he had in previous years. Had Hooper not missed three games due to a knee injury, his numbers would’ve been even better.

Hooper isn’t the same mismatch as Henry, but he’s a dependable player who could be a go-to target for Rodgers.

3. Eric Ebron

Eric Ebron hasn’t been the consistent playmaker many expected when the Detroit Lions drafted him 10th overall in 2014, but he’d still be an upgrade other any tight end the Packers have had in recent years.

Ebron’s best season came in 2018 playing with Andrew Luck. He caught 66 passes for 750 yards and 13 touchdowns and was one of the best red-zone threats in the NFL.

Luck retired ahead of the 2019 season and Ebron missed five games, which both contributed to him finishing with only 375 yards and three touchdowns.

Signing Ebron would come with some risks. In six seasons, he’s only put up more than 700 receiving yards twice, and more than five touchdowns only once. But he proved in 2018 how dominant he can be in the red zone and working with Rodgers could help him get back to that level.

It all comes down to the value of the contract. Spotrac estimates Ebron’s market value to be $9.5 million a year. That would be a risky deal to make and his value could be out of the Packers’ range. But if he can regain his 2018 form, he’d be a great addition to Green Bay’s offense.

Other notable free agents: Jordan Reed, Marcedes Lewis, Tyler Eifert