TE dept. ~ ~ ~

[kelly]

The New York Jets will be without tight end Chris Herndon for the first four weeks of the season. Who will fill in while the promising young tight end serves his suspension ?

The New York Jets may have had a difficult 2018 season, but the development of rookie tight end Chris Herndon was one of the few positives to take away from the year.

Herndon was selected by the Jets in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of the University of Miami. Despite initially beginning the year behind veteran Neal Sterling on the depth chart, Herndon was given his chance to start following an injury suffered by his teammate.And while Herndon wouldn’t put up monster numbers in a starting role, he showed enough promise to convince the team that he’s one of the key building blocks of the future of the Jets offense.

The 23-year-old would finish the season with 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns — pacing all rookie tight ends in both catches and touchdowns. In fact, only Baltimore Ravens rookie Mark Andrews finished with more yards on the year.However, the Jets will, unfortunately, be without Herndon for the first four games of the regular season. His absence stems from an off-field DWI incident that took place less than two months after he was drafted by the Jets.Gang Green will obviously be looking for another impressive showing in his sophomore NFL season once he returns. But for the time being, the Jets will have to turn to others to carry the load.

So the question remains, who will be starting in his place come Week 1 ?

The most likely answer to that question is six-year NFL veteran Ryan Griffin. Griffin has spent the last six seasons playing for the Houston Texans and he’s actually put together some pretty respectable career numbers.In 77 games played — 36 starts — Griffin has hauled in 136 receptions for 1,491 yards and seven touchdowns. Not bad for a former sixth-round pick back in 2013.Arguably his best season, in terms of production, came back in 2016 when he totaled 50 catches for 442 yards and two touchdowns, splitting time with C.J. Fiedorowicz at tight end.Griffin brings with him starting experience as well as veteran leadership to hold down the fort in Herndon’s absence. The 29-year-old will likely be given the first crack at the starting role, though don’t expect him to be as involved in the passing game as Herndon will be.

Elsewhere on the roster, the Jets signed former Chicago Bears tight end Daniel Brown in the offseason to provide some extra depth. Brown originally entered the league as a free agent wide receiver out of James Madison before being converted to tight end.The 27-year-old has spent the past two and a half seasons playing for Chicago but played almost exclusively on special teams last year. Expect him to be the primary secondary option in two-tight-end sets for the time being.Finally, the third tight end on the Jets roster is fourth-round rookie Trevon Wesco. Wesco has a very interesting skill set that equates more to H-back than an actual tight end.

Nonetheless, Wesco will likely be the Jets primary blocking tight end following the long-overdue release of Eric Tomlinson this offseason. The rookie had a quiet preseason and is clearly a bit buried on the depth chart, but should be given every opportunity to succeed while Herndon is out.Ultimately, expect the Jets to use a lot of two and three-tight-end sets to make up for the absence of Herndon.On top of that, we could see the Jets regularly split running backs Le’Veon Bell and Ty Montgomery out wide at receiver to fill the pseudo fourth receiver role that Herndon would usually occupy.New head coach Adam Gase will likely turn to various different schematic methods to alleviate the loss of Herndon. But expect Griffin to be given the biggest opportunity to prove his worth come Week 1.

The Jets will surely miss Herndon over the first four weeks, but one man’s misfortune is another’s opportunity.

>  https://thejetpress.com/2019/09/03/new-york-jets-chris-herndon-absence/

[kelly]

Rich Cimini     ESPN Staff Writer 

The Jets have activated TE Chris Herndon to their roster. His status for Monday night is up in the air because of his hamstring, but they had to make the move because his roster exemption expired today. To make room, they waived LB Frankie Luvu.

>     https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[kelly]

Had it not been for some broken glass, the Jets’ most productive player this season may have never made his way to New York.

Ryan Griffin found himself without a job after he allegedly broke a hotel window last April. A member of the Texans at the time, the incident occurred after Houston took another tight end, San Diego State’s Kahale Warring, in the third round of the draft. The Texans promptly released Griffin following his arrest.A few months later, the Jets hired Joe Douglas to be their new general manager. He was not responsible for any of the three tight ends on the Jets roster at the time, and the team eventually learned it would be without sophomore Chris Herndon, who served a four-game suspension to begin the season.In a low-risk, high-reward move, Douglas took a gamble on Griffin. New York signed Griffin primarily for his pass-catching ability. Eric Tomlinson, Trevon Wesco and Daniel Brown were all blockers, but Griffin could add something to the passing game.

Since Sam Darnold has returned from his bout with mono, the signing has paid off.

If his rookie season was any indication, the tight end position was a big part of Darnold’s passing game with Herndon being one of his favorite targets. Herndon finished second on the Jets with 502 receiving yards, which also ranked second among rookie tight ends. He led all first-year players at his position with 39 receptions, catching four touchdowns in the process.Herndon has been burdened with a hamstring injury and has not seen any in-game action since returning from his suspension. That, however, has opened the door for Griffin, who yet again has to deal with a young player waiting in the wings. In eight games this season, Griffin has caught 19 passes for 162 yards and three touchdowns.

The numbers don’t jump off the page, but its clear that Darnold has found another security blanket in Griffin, even if the Jets have failed to maintain any semblance of offensive success.If a touchdown against the Dolphins had not been overturned by replay review, Griffin would have had four touchdowns in as many games. He doesn’t catch passes in volumes, but he has become a dependable target when his number is called in the red zone.The Jets rank last or close to it in every offensive category this season. They’ve scored the least points out of any offense in the league and have scored over 16 points just twice this season.

Still, the team has another big bodied tight end that in can use in the passing game. The Jets appear to have found two tight ends when the team had previously consistently ignored the position since Dustin Keller. Even in a lost season, that is bright spot and a potential building block for young Darnold.

>      https://jetswire.usatoday.com/2019/11/07/ryan-griffin-tight-end-bright-spot-jets-texans/

[SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN]

Maybe Griifin can go drinking with Gase and get Gase and get Gase arrested for public intoxification . It would make it easier to fire his sorry ass .

 

[kelly]

58 minutes ago, SAM SAM HE'S OUR MAN said:

Maybe Griifin can go drinking with Gase and get Gase and get Gase arrested for public intoxification . It would make it easier to fire his sorry ass .

 

..sounds Like a plan   

[kelly]

Rich Cimini    ESPN Staff Writer 

TE Ryan Griffin had a career game — five catches for 109 yards and a TD, including a 45-yard reception on a Sam Darnold scramble. "They kind of lost me in the shuffle and I just tried to put the jets on," Griffin said. Jets? Not exactly. He reached only 16.7 mph on the play, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Not bad for a big tight end, but not jet-like.

>      https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[Losmeister]

rewatching game.

Wesco can block. He blocked DEs several times. Its good for us.

[kelly]

cross their respective rosters, the gap in talent between the Jets and Chiefs is wider than the Atlantic Ocean, so to pinpoint one area that was the difference in the Chiefs’ 35-9 blowout of the hapless Jets on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium is pure folly.At one position, though, the gap is so obvious it screamed out at you through the television screen.

Tight end.

The Chiefs have one of the best in the game in Travis Kelce, who positively abused the Jets defense Sunday, catching eight passes for 109 yards and a touchdown.

The Jets?

Tight end was a position thought before the season to be a team strength, with Chris Herndon returning from an injury-riddled 2019 season and Ryan Griffin coming off a career year.Herndon, who caught 39 passes for 502 yards and four TDs in 2018 in his rookie year, oozed promise for the future. Griffin had such a good 2019 season — 34 catches for 320 yards and five TDs — he was given a $10.8 million contract with $4 million guaranteed.And yet, the two have been invisible in the offense this year with Herndon in particular having an utterly nightmarish season. His troubles were lowlighted by fumbling away the only pass he caught Sunday.

With the Jets having just fallen behind 28-9 late in the third quarter, Sam Darnold completed a short pass to Herndon, who was quickly separated from the ball on a hit by Chiefs safety Daniel Sorensen. The fumble, Herndon’s second this season, was recovered by cornerback Bashaud Breeland.“We kind of got a rhythm going and the fumble killed us momentum-wise,’’ Darnold said. “We were on a good drive there and if we score seven there it’s a different ballgame. That’s something you can’t do against a good Kansas City team.’’On their way off the field after the turnover, Darnold quickly caught up to Herndon, put his arm on his back and offered some words of encouragement.“Chris is a warrior,’’ Darnold said. “He’s a great dude, who’s going to get through anything. I have confidence in him. The whole team has confidence in him. We know what kind of player he is. I know he has confidence in himself. I know there’s no one more upset than him when he makes mistakes.

“So, we’re just going to keep encouraging each other and taking it one day at a time.’’

On this day, while Kelce was putting up his numbers, the only reception a Jets tight end had was that 3-yard gain on the Herndon catch on which he fumbled. Herndon and Griffin have combined to catch 18 passes for 140 yards and no TDs.Kelce, through eight games, has caught 48 passes for 610 yards and six TDs. Those numbers are better than Herndon’s or Griffin’s best NFL season.

>   https://nypost.com/2020/11/01/travis-kelce-only-makes-jets-tight-ends-nightmare-look-worse/

[kelly]

While the Jets offense has been anemic at all facets, the production of TE Chris Herndon has been quite alarming.

Whether it’s Herndon just not getting open or head coach Adam Gase’s offensive system not featuring tight ends enough, Herndon hasn’t been the play-making option at the position as originally thought by the team when he was drafted in 2018 out of Miami. He had a promising rookie year that tallied 502 yards, 39 receptions and four touchdowns, as Sam Darnold really liked to look his way.But, with Herndon failing to show any signs that he can build on that year, it’s time for the Jets to start looking elsewhere.

Yes, Herndon is only 24 years old. And yes, his 2019 season was ravaged by injury. But even fully healthy right now, he has not been producing.Just look at Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Herndon had just two targets from Darnold, one of which went for a catch. But he immediately fumbled the ball when he was hit and didn’t see it after that. His season high in yards is just 37 in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills, when he caught six of his seven targets. He also fumbled in that loss.Herndon wasn’t even targeted in the previous two weeks prior to the Chiefs game either, so if you haven’t heard his name during broadcasts, it is because he just isn’t getting involved. So what should the Jets do?

The tight end position is one that good teams use to their advantage. Look at the Green Bay Packers, for instance. Aaron Rodgers doesn’t even need a top tier playmaker – Robert Tonyan is more than enough to get the chains moving. The Bears love to target Jimmy Graham in the red zone because he is such a big threat in that area. Many other teams -- Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers -- all covet their tight ends.Herndon had the potential to do everything – moves the chain in the middle of the field, create a threat in the red zone, and bust out big plays every now and then – but it just isn’t panning out. That’s why the Jets need to start mulling their options in either free agency, the NFL Draft, or even a trade down the road if the opportunity presents itself.

Herndon only has one year left on his rookie deal before becoming a free agent in 2022, too. If his production continues to be non-existent, the Jets might cut him if they so choose. GM Joe Douglas wasn’t the one who drafted him, so there’s no connection there. And there would only be $167,381 in dead cap if he were released before next season. Teams will be watching dead money this offseason because of COVID-19 related losses, but it’s a miniscule number compared to others.There is still time this season to get production up and prove that he is still a valuable asset to have on offense. But Herndon is trending in the wrong direction, and it’s starting to become too late to make up for the lack of positive growth on his end.

> https://sports.yahoo.com/chris-herndons-lack-production-force-181223736.html

[kelly]

Rich Cimini  ESPN Staff Writer 

Struggling TE Chris Herndon received a verbal pat on the back from OC Dowell Loggains, who said: "Chris is doing the job we're asking him to do and he's doing it really well. There are a lot of things he can do in pass protection that a lot of tight ends can't do...We think he's a good pass receiver. We just haven't asked him to be in that role right now."

>    https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

[Wonderboy]

11 hours ago, kelly said:

Rich Cimini  ESPN Staff Writer 

Struggling TE Chris Herndon received a verbal pat on the back from OC Dowell Loggains, who said: "Chris is doing the job we're asking him to do and he's doing it really well. There are a lot of things he can do in pass protection that a lot of tight ends can't do...We think he's a good pass receiver. We just haven't asked him to be in that role right now."

>    https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

Is it  any wonder why we are 0-9. 

[Beerfish]

15 hours ago, kelly said:

Rich Cimini  ESPN Staff Writer 

Struggling TE Chris Herndon received a verbal pat on the back from OC Dowell Loggains, who said: "Chris is doing the job we're asking him to do and he's doing it really well. There are a lot of things he can do in pass protection that a lot of tight ends can't do...We think he's a good pass receiver. We just haven't asked him to be in that role right now."

>    https://www.espn.com/nfl/team/_/name/nyj/new-york-jets

These guys are so so so so so terrible as offensive coaches, just utterly ghastly.

[fltflo]

As I have said before, I know I will get crap for this but, Chris Herndon is a solid TE. I don’t know what the hell this coaching staff has done to him, but he was a beast in Miami. The player you saw in his rookie season is the player he truly is.
I hope the Jets unlike so many fans don’t give up on him. He is going to be a damn good player in the future. Like Sam this coaching staff is destroying players who have a ton of talent and promise.



Sent from my iPhone using JetNation.com mobile app

[section314]

5 hours ago, Beerfish said:

These guys are so so so so so terrible as offensive coaches, just utterly ghastly.

Not at all. They are the perfect staff to accomplish the task currently at hand.

[kelly]

On 11/22/2020 at 2:29 AM, Beerfish said:

These guys are so so so so so terrible as offensive coaches, just utterly ghastly.

agreed !  ?.. sad,..  just  SAD   ?

[BettyBoop]

On 11/22/2020 at 2:29 AM, Beerfish said:

These guys are so so so so so terrible as offensive coaches, just utterly ghastly.

Absolutely spot on.  Gaze said he intentionally played it conservative in the first half. Mims/Perriman/Crowder had ONE target before halftime.  They’re 0-9 and he’s playing it conservative.  Mind boggling.

Never saw a coach try to outthink himself as much as Gaze does.

[BettyBoop]

On 11/21/2020 at 10:30 PM, Wonderboy said:

Is it  any wonder why we are 0-9. 

But, but, but, “Adam”  is a great coach in the crucial months of November and December.  

More SORE I stupidity.

[jetophile]

There's a Tight End Department? I thought Woolworth's went out of business. 

[Losmeister]

On 11/22/2020 at 3:20 AM, fltflo said:

As I have said before, I know I will get crap for this but, Chris Herndon is a solid TE. I don’t know what the hell this coaching staff has done to him, but he was a beast in Miami. The player you saw in his rookie season is the player he truly is.
I hope the Jets unlike so many fans don’t give up on him. He is going to be a damn good player in the future. Like Sam this coaching staff is destroying players who have a ton of talent and promise.
 

heplayed like a competent TE his rookie year...  about AVG for a starting TE in the NFL

the CS was talking him up b4 the season and so far he had sucked balls. yesterday he played like a competent NFL TE for 1/2.

the CS put him in position to make alotta plays that he has left on teh field, same as Sam. 

this is NOT A DEFENSE OF THE CS. PLayers have to make the plays that are there.