The Jets move tight end Chris Herndon to Minnesota for draft compensation
Joe Douglas and the New York Jets have traded tight end Chris Herndon to the Minnesota Vikings for draft compensation Tuesday afternoon, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The #Vikings have solved their TE issue, as they are trading for promising #Jets TE Chris Herndon in exchange for draft pick compensation, sources say. Agent @malkikawa later confirmed the deal. Herndon steps right in following Irv Smith’s knee injury.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2021
The deal ends a tough go of it for one of the few remaining Mike Maccagnan draft picks to be rostered by the Jets. After a promising rookie campaign in 2018, Herndon failed to live up to even modest expectations the past two years.
Herndon, 25, was taken in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL draft by the previous regime. Although Maccagnan selected him—despite the need for offensive line help—he played well enough his rookie year, with Sam Darnold, to warrant pretty solid expectations.
Unfortunately, a Grade 1 hamstring sprain/pull combined with a rib fracture and another pulled hammy kept him out of all but one game in 2019. His 287 yards and three touchdowns on 31 receptions in 16 games a year ago did anything but inspire future progression.
The Mike Maccagnan players are dwindling
With Herndon gone, only two players from Maccagnan’s 2018 draft class remain: defensive tackles Foley Fatukasi and Nathan Shepherd. Only three Maccagnan-drafted-era players remain: Fatukasi, Shepherd and Marcus Maye (drafted in 2017).
Furthermore, it leaves Tyler Kroft, Ryan Griffin and Daniel Brown as the likely three tight ends to fill out the initial 53-man roster (save for Trevon Wesco who could be labeled a fullback in the Mike LaFleur scheme).
Kenny Yeboah’s release earlier in the day coupled with the Herndon trade has many scratching their head in Jets land. Why would Douglas move so many bodies when the position is already so thin?
Some are speculating that something incoming is on the horizon. If Kroft didn’t showcase such a horrid injury history, perhaps LaFleur would feel comfortable in a Kroft, Griffin, Brown and Wesco foursome at TE/FB.
Chris Herndon ends his New York Jets career (or, at least his first Jets stint) with 796 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 receptions.
