The New York Jets selected tight end Chris Herndon out of the University of Miami in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
In his first year, Herndon reeled in 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns. However, he faces an uphill battle in 2019 if he wants to improve on those numbers.
Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com reported that on Friday, the NFL suspended Chris Herndon for the first four games of the 2019 regular season. The suspension comes on the heels of Herndon pleading guilty to a DUI case in January of this year.
This is a sizable blow to the New York Jets. Herndon was expected to play a big role in the offense. He had a year under his belt, enabling him to grow with fellow second-year player Sam Darnold.
The two seemed to have a solid connection that is expected to continue to develop. Herndon could become a big security blanket for Darnold, his quarterback.
Even worse, though, is that the Jets don't really have anyone in line to replace Herndon. Behind him are three tight ends. Daniel Brown is entering his fifth year and Eric Tomlinson is entering his fourth, while Trevon Wesco is a rookie.
Those three players combined have 55 receptions for 510 yards and two touchdowns in 51 NFL games. That's barely better than the numbers Herndon put up in his rookie year.
The good news is that he's out for only four games, so the Jets don't need to find a long-term solution. However, this shows how important depth is in the NFL because anything can happen — and when it does, it's better to be prepared.
For the New York Jets' first four games of the 2019 season, they won't have Chris Herndon. What will this mean for Sam Darnold and Company? Can another tight end step up in his absence? A lot of questions remain to be answered.
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