Don’t Count Chris Herndon out Just yet, Jets Fans; Bounce-Back Season is Likely in 2021

[JetNation]

Catastrophe.  Disaster.  Incompetent.  Liability.  Pick your negative adjective to describe Jets tight end Chris Herndon’s play through the teams first 8 games of the 2020 season and any (or all) of them will fit just fine.  Every pass that came Herndon’s way felt like it was either dropped or caught and fumbled.  Herndon couldn’t get out of his own way.

Then after suffering yet another drop on his first target of the team’s 10th game of the season against the Los Angeles Chargers, something changed.  All of a sudden, Herndon caught the next catchable pass that came his way.  Then the next one, and the next one…and he just kept catching them.

After a myriad of drops leading up to that first target against the Chargers, Herndon would go without a drop for the rest of the season, hauling in 100% of the catchable passes that came his way.

Many Jets fans tuned out in the second half last season and didn't notice Chris Herndon was a different player. The guy with all the drop and fumbles disappeared in the second half of the season and we saw the promise that was evident in year 1. Biggest issue? Lack of targets. pic.twitter.com/HjbsRIWKB6

— Glenn Naughton (@AceFan23) May 22, 2021

There were no more fumbles and Herndon scored 3 touchdowns in the second half of the season despite playing in what many would consider to be the worst offensive coach/quarterback combination in the NFL.

The first-half struggles saw Herndon get excoriated on social media by fans who were desperate for Gang Green to show some level of competence on offense.  Herndon was part of the problem early on, but turned things around in a big way in the second half.  His numbers weren’t eye popping by any stretch of the imagination.  His own fault in weeks 1-8, but lack of targets or emphasis from his quarterback and head coach are the reason from that point on.

Even after a leaping/twisting catch for a first down and fingertip grab for a score in that Chargers contest, Herndon didn’t see another ball come his way for the next two weeks.  He would see just one target the week after that, and then finally became a part of the offense in weeks 15-17 when he hauled in 14 catches for 145 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

As we mentioned earlier in the week in regards to running back Ty Johnson, the Jets former head coach wasn’t exactly known for getting his best players involved in the offense.  Leading up to the 2020 season, Herndon was expected to be exactly that; one of the team’s best players.  His slow start had him on the outside looking in and an uptick in production did little to get the attention of his head coach and offensive coordinator (both out of the NFL).

So while the limitless potential of the wide receiver group has been frequently discussed, it’s a bounce-back from Herndon that would go a long way in making Gang Green an offensive force in 2021.

 

The post Don’t Count Chris Herndon out Just yet, Jets Fans; Bounce-Back Season is Likely in 2021 appeared first on JetNation.com (NY Jets Blog & Forum).

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[Fantasy Island]

3 TDs with Sam at QB.  That's like 6 anywhere else.

[Joe W. Namath]

Hes playing for his football life this year. If he has a big season, he is going to get paid.

I see a focused, determined herndon this year and he will have a big season.

I do not see us signing him long term but i could see us tagging him to keep him around.

[Warfish]

Not that it's up to me, but I'm fine giving him another chance with Saleh and Wilson and the New Offense. 

The potential is obviously there, we just need some actual performance.

[Jet Nut]

5 minutes ago, Warfish said:

Not that it's up to me, but I'm fine giving him another chance with Saleh and Wilson and the New Offense. 

The potential is obviously there, we just need some actual performance.

Agreed.  Hes got a fresh start like others who took steps backwards under Gase.

He needs to stay healthy and on the field for starters.  He has the talent now its a matter of drive.   Playing through the aches and pains the best persevere through.  

He has all the physical attributes, its make or break time for Herndon 

[Barry McCockinner]

55 minutes ago, Fantasy Island said:

3 TDs with Sam at QB.  That's like 6 anywhere else.

Like when Robbie Anderson had 5 TDs in 2019 and 3 in 2020

[Lith]

I am a Jet fan.  I am going to root for anyone on the team to play well.  Chris Herndon is no excpetion.  I was very bullish on him after his rookie year, but he has done little since.  A 3 game stretch of average production at the end of the season is not exactly filling me optimism.  I am not expecting much from Herndon, but hope to be wrong.

Remember when we were excited over Breshad Perriman last year because of his 5 game stretch to close out 2019.

[David Harris]

If he could be a poor mans Kittle in this shanahan offense that’s best case scenarion

 

 he just isn’t mentally tough and had the Mackey sasser yips last year, the talents definitely there 

[slats]

He's the #1 TE on the roster right now, and it's not even close. I expect that to be the case when the season opens. 

[FidelioJet]

He can't catch.

[jgb]

20 minutes ago, Lith said:

I am a Jet fan.  I am going to root for anyone on the team to play well.  Chris Herndon is no excpetion.  I was very bullish on him after his rookie year, but he has done little since.  A 3 game stretch of average production at the end of the season is not exactly filling me optimism.  I am not expecting much from Herndon, but hope to be wrong.

Remember when we were excited over Breshad Perriman last year because of his 5 game stretch to close out 2019.

Arguing against the homers that Perriman would not be a good player for the Jets was one of the easiest positions I ever took on a messageboard.

[Drums]

I definitely noticed him starting to get his groove back towards the end of the season. Hopefully he turns it around but we were all super high on him last offseason so to watch him lay a giant egg, I understand why no one is really expecting much this year. 
 

His slow start is not something we haven’t seen before. His rookie year took a bit to get going. I remember screaming at him through the TV week two (Could be week 3) against Miami his rookie year. Eventually he started playing really well. 
 

We don’t have half a season to wait around for him anymore. Time to go. 

[Icer]

I had high hopes after his rookie year but its hard to have any confidence after the last two. 

[SomebodytoAnybody47]

Been on the Herndon train this whole time. Get on while you can, he’s gonna have a great year. Haters will be proven wrong. 

[AFJF]

1 hour ago, FidelioJet said:

He can't catch.

Riiiiiight.

[TheNuuFaaolaExperience]

He suffered from Gaseitis. The problem goes away when the Gase is removed. 

[Beerfish]

I'm fine if he comes to camp being regarded as a rookie.  He has used up his player good will with suspension, being hurt and gross disappointment after his 1st year.

[Bronx]

11 minutes ago, TheNuuFaaolaExperience said:

He suffered from Gaseitis. The problem goes away when the Gase is removed. 

I think he quit eating these and Gased away!

Edited: @The Crusher was also fired from the grill at the Jets facility.

[Lith]

1 hour ago, jgb said:

Arguing against the homers that Perriman would not be a good player for the Jets was one of the easiest positions I ever took on a messageboard.

Yup.  I remember being told that I lacked vision and foresight if I did not think Crowder, Perriman, Mims and V Smith was a good WR corps.  I will take what we have this year over that group any day.

[Jethead]

Tony Gonzalez led the league in dropped passes his second year and that worked our.

Amnesty and complete reset for this year. Would be yuge for this team to have Herndon finally live up to his promise. If not, c ya bye.

[munchmemory]

1 hour ago, slats said:

He's the #1 TE on the roster right now, and it's not even close. I expect that to be the case when the season opens. 

[32EBoozer]

2 hours ago, slats said:

He's the #1 TE on the roster right now, and it's not even close. I expect that to be the case when the season opens. 

Would you offer a 3/$18m contract prior to the season with an east out after ‘23?  Would Herndon run to the bank with the check or bet on himself?

[GreenFish]

We just need him to be a descent starter. He was that his rookie season.

Same with Wesco at FB. If can just be a descent FB, that’ll go a long way.

Mims and Moore will provide the explosive plays. 

[The Crusher]

1 hour ago, Bronx said:

I think he quit eating these and Gased away!

Edited: @The Crusher was also fired from the grill at the Jets facility.

I wasn’t fired. Just no job left after I ate everything 

[Sperm Edwards]

2 hours ago, 32EBoozer said:

Would you offer a 3/$18m contract prior to the season with an east out after ‘23?  Would Herndon run to the bank with the check or bet on himself?

I don’t think so. If he outplays it too badly he may hold out; if he doesn't we gave him a contract unnecessarily. 

I'm a big fan of getting in before rather than after, but not for a guy who hasn't performed for 2 straight seasons, and who was just ok the year before that. 

He can be tagged after the season for about/under $10MM if he's that great this year and his extension demands are too high.

Plus since this should be his biggest career payday contract, it's not a given that he'd even take it — not without significant incentives that’d allow him to earn more, which of course defeats the point/savings in the first place. If some fans can see he’s poised to have a big year (new, more accurate QB; new offensive system that favors/features the TE position; team didn’t pick up a FA TE nor did they draft a TE this year) then surely he can see the same situation.

[slimjasi]

[Long Island Leprechaun]

5 hours ago, jgb said:

Arguing against the homers that Perriman would not be a good player for the Jets was one of the easiest positions I ever took on a messageboard.

You seem to be all about you. Who cares what you thought or the position you took? Nobody.

[sveusb]

The Jets were tanking for a quarterback last season. Enough opportunities were given to Herndon to show his value to the team while securing one the top two selections in the draft. His value to the team will be determined this season.

[jgb]

4 hours ago, Long Island Leprechaun said:

You seem to be all about you. Who cares what you thought or the position you took? Nobody.

What would you have done if you cared? Responded twice? ? 

[jgb]

1 hour ago, sveusb said:

The Jets were tanking for a quarterback last season. Enough opportunities were given to Herndon to show his value to the team while securing one the top two selections in the draft. His value to the team will be determined this season.

Some say impossible to evaluate Darnold with such crappy weaponz. I say impossible to evaluate weaponz with such a garbage QB.

[Long Island Leprechaun]

9 hours ago, jgb said:

What would you have done if you cared? Responded twice? ? 

It's my sworn duty to clean up internet clutter.

[NYJ1]

WHY does this POS need to be motivated? And why exactly is he the John Starks of the football world? He's either on or he's so off. I understand he's about our only option in 2021 but I look forward to moving from this loser altogether.

[FidelioJet]

There is enough talent on this offense now that Herdon just being a starting level TE would be huge.

I, unfortunately, don't think he is, hope I'm wrong.

[AFJF]

16 hours ago, slimjasi said:

Except for the part where it's all entirely true.

Tough year at 2-14 so I know a lot of folks stopped paying attention so it makes sense as to why so many people are unaware of what happened late in the season.

Herndon caught final 17 catchable passes thrown his way after dropping 4 passes prior to that.

[AFJF]

39 minutes ago, NYJ1 said:

WHY does this POS need to be motivated? And why exactly is he the John Starks of the football world? He's either on or he's so off. I understand he's about our only option in 2021 but I look forward to moving from this loser altogether.

Sounds like you're responding to a situation that you've invented in your mind.  How was he not motivated?  Slumped through the first 8 or 9 games when he was used primarily as a blocker and finished the season far better than how he started it.