Minnesota Vikings acquire TE Chris Herndon from New York Jets in trade

The New York Jets have traded veteran tight end Chris Herndon to the Minnesota Vikings.

Minnesota sent a 2022 fourth-round pick to New York in return for Herndon and a 2022 6th round pick. The trade is pending Herndon passing a physical.

Minnesota executed the exchange one day after mentor Mike Zimmer reported that Irv Smith Jr. will undergo surgery this week to repair a meniscus injury he supported in the group’s preseason finale at Kansas City on Friday. Zimmer didn’t indicate a schedule for Smith’s return, which could go from a little while to a while, given the nature of the injury.

Smith was prepared for a breakout season at the hour of his injury, having ascended to the highest point of the depth chart at tight end following the flight of Kyle Rudolph during free organization. During the last four rounds of the 2020 season, Smith pulled in three scores on 20 targets and completed the year with 30 gets for 365 yards and five scores.

Herndon showed a great deal of guarantee as a newbie in 2018, when he got 39 passes for 502 yards and four scores. From that point forward, the 2018 fourth-round pick has attempted to repeat that creation. Herndon was suspended in 2019 after a DUI capture and harmed his hamstring while at the same time working his direction back onto the field. In his first game back in November 2019 against the New York Giants, Herndon broke a rib and was set on injured reserve.

Last season, Herndon battled with drops and fumbles and transitioned into to a greater extent a hindering tight end. He ricocheted back close to the furthest limit of 2020, recording 31 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns.

This offseason, Herndon was on to his third hostile framework in four years, and it seemed Jets mentors didn’t consider him to be a fit in a West Coast conspire. While he was as yet the group’s strongest blocking tight end, Herndon lost his employment as the group’s top tight end.

Contingent upon how long Smith will miss while recuperating from his meniscus medical procedure, Herndon will assist with filling a important role among Vikings tight finishes. Zimmer called the profundity at the position “not very good” in light of Smith’s injury. Minnesota is expecting its No. 2 tight end, Tyler Conklin, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since Aug. 16, to be prepared to rehearse in full on Monday.