Getty Former New York Jets tight end Chris Herndon going through a drill during training camp.
A former New York Jets draft pick is now in hot water with the NFL.
ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates shared on Twitter that free agent tight end Chris Herndon has been suspended for the final eight games of the 2022 season.
Former Jets and Vikings TE Chris Herndon – who is currently a free agent – has been suspended for the 8 remaining weeks of the 2022 NFL regular season.
A reason was not provided for Herndon’s latest suspension. The former Miami product was suspended for the first four games of the 2019 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.
Chris Herndon Crazy Transformation From Jets to Vikings
Herndon originally entered the league back in 2018 as the No. 107 overall pick in the fourth round of the NFL draft.
Interestingly enough that was the same compensation the Jets ended up getting for him when they traded him last offseason to a desperate Minnesota Vikings squad.
The Purple People Eaters had just lost Irv Smith Jr to a serious injury and were seeking a replacement. General manager Joe Douglas was able to trade the promising playmaker on an expiring deal for a future fourth-round draft choice in the 2022 NFL draft.
The good news is Herndon appeared in 16 games, but the bad news is he barely contributed:
- Seven targets
- Four receptions
- 40 yards
- One touchdown
After his rookie contract expired, the Vikings let him walk out the door and he remained a free agent for months. The 26-year-old would eventually latch on with the New Orleans Saints this offseason for a three-week stretch but he didn’t make the final 53-man roster.
The Jets Patience at TE Paid off With Tyler Conklin
After trading away Herndon last year for solid value, the Jets were forced to eat it at the position for the 2021 season.
Gang Green boasted a crop of underwhelming veterans and lacked a young player with pizazz. The results were a disgusting display that might have been the worst tight-end group in the National Football League.
It was an obvious mistake by the coaching staff and/or Douglas to not properly invest in the position. Thankfully during their second whack at the pinata, the team got it right.
The Jets signed a pair of veterans in Tyler Conklin and CJ Uzomah this offseason. Additionally, they selected Jeremy Ruckert with the No. 101 overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Sadly the former Ohio State product has barely moved the needle this year and seems like a redshirt candidate at the very least for this season.
Although on a positive note, Conklin is in the middle of a career year and could finish with one of the best seasons at the tight end spot in Jets franchise history.
On the season the long-haired chiseled tight end has hauled in 33 receptions for over 316 yards and has three touchdowns. There have been a few bumps in the road when there was a switching of the guard at the quarterback position.
However, everything has seemingly stabilized and Conklin has provided Zach Wilson with a solid security blanket over the middle.
Conklin might not earn a ton of Pro Bowl votes from the national media, but he has certainly earned the respect of this coaching staff, his teammates, and the green and white faithful.