Chris Herndon

Herndon was the Murphy's Law star of 2019, with a promising rookie campaign giving way to a disastrous sophomore effort. Initially sidelined by a four-game suspension, Herndon then injured his hamstring two days before he was to make his season debut. He didn't play until Week 10, when he suffered a broken rib that sent him to IR. Meanwhile, fellow tight end Ryan Griffin caught five TDs, earning a threeyear, $9.55 million extension. Herndon may now find himself battling for a starting job, though a closer look at his rookie season inspires optimism. The fourth-round pick became one of just 12 TEs in the last 20 years to reach 500 yards as a rookie, and he did it with a 10.0 aDOT that was third-deepest among 17 TEs with 50-plus targets. Herndon accrued more than two-thirds of his yards in the second half of the season, and his mark of 1.65 yards per route would translate to TE1 value in an every-down role (he was limited to 39 snaps and 19 routes per game). Jets coach Adam Gase does expect his tight ends to pass block, but the Jets aren't exactly loaded with receiving talent, so Herndon could still be a primary target for Sam Darnold.

Expectations were low for Herndon's rookie season last year, coming out of Miami as a fourth-round pick who was overshadowed by David Njoku for much of his college career. But Herndon's debut campaign was a definite hit, as he quickly took over the starting job in New York and outproduced a slew of rookie tight ends who were drafted before him. Among tight ends with at least 30 receptions, Herndon was seventh in yards per target at 9.0 and fourth in average depth of target at 10.0, proving to be far more than a dump-off specialist for Sam Darnold. New head coach Adam Gase has been effusive with praise for Herndon this offseason, and it's not like the Jets are overloaded with sure things at any of the wide receiver spots. Someone is going to grow into the team's most dynamic target for Darnold; why not the 6-4, 253, Herndon? That possible outcome will have to wait, however, as Herndon has been suspended for the first four games of the 2019 regular season. Once he's back though, he has a chance to become an impact player in his second season.

Herndon may well find himself contributing right away for a Jets team that let starting 2017 tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins walk in free agency. The rookie fourth-rounder out of Miami could have perhaps gone even higher on draft day if not for a late-season MCL tear that prevented him from strutting his stuff at the combine. Herndon is back at full health and has been participating in OTAs without any limitations, so look for the pass-catching tight end to compete for the starting gig with the likes of Clive Walford, Jordan Leggett and Eric Tomlinson.