The New York Jets seemed to have found their tight end weapon, Chris Herndon. The Patriots had always had Gronk. The dominant tight end who made sure Tom Brady always had a safety option in worst-case scenarios and a prominent red zone target. The Jets have longed for success similar to the Patriots and they may have found their version of Rob Gronkowski.
Herndon is far from similar to Gronk but he can be a HUGE part of success for the Jets offense and especially Sam Darnold. When Herndon finally hit his stride and got comfortable, he finished the season with 502 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 39 receptions. Herndon looked primed for another great season after proving himself as a stud young tight end last season. Then he violated the substance abuse policy and now he’ll be out for the first four games of the season which just happen to be four of the most important games of the season. Herndon dropped the ball and let his personal troubles hinder not only his own but the rest of the Jets success.
His return from the suspension
Herndon will return against the Cowboys and be around the team for the rest of the season. He’ll be the security blanket for Sam Darnold in a red-zone threat. Darnold will now just have to learn how to operate with Herndon’s temporary replacement. Herndon will have to not only reintroduce himself to the squad but earn all the respect right back. Herndon has a long road ahead of him. However, the 12 games he’ll be available for will still make a significant difference. Herndon has gained a lot of attention, where he’ll need to come back firing on all cylinders.