NY Jets tight ends are primed for a big season in 2020

The NY Jets’ tight end group will have to pick up the slack and 2020 and is due for a huge season as a result.

Over the last few weeks, NY Jets fans have been debating about the concern of the Jets’ wide receiving corps, and if any of the unproven talent at wideout will step up and become a reliable passing option for Sam Darnold.

Even knowing the wide receiver situation is the hot-button topic among fans, the Jets have a stable of solid and productive tight ends that can help Darnold in the passing game as well.

Third-year tight end Chris Herndon is returning to the team after missing all but a quarter of action last season with a suspension and multiple different injuries.

Carrying the load for the tight ends last season was Ryan Griffin who the Jets signed late in free agency last year. Griffin had a productive but not flashy 2019 season with the Jets as he hauled in 34 receptions for 320 yards and five touchdowns — four out of those five being in the red zone.

Will NY Jets’ tight end Chris Herndon be as productive as he was in 2018?

In his rookie season, Chris Herndon was second on the team in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns, and receptions.

Herndon caught 39 balls for a total of 502 yards and four touchdowns as he was one of the more consistent tight ends in the NFL with a Pro Football Focus grade of 74.4 in 2018.

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After his promising rookie year, Herndon missed the beginning of the 2019 season due to a suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy and then had a season-ending injury in his first game back.

This will be a make or break year for Herndon as many believe he will have his breakout season in 2020. Herndon will share the tight end duties with Griffin who signed an extension with the team back in November and is a reliable target in the red zone.

Other than Herndon and Griffin, the two tight ends who will be right below them on the depth chart are Daniel Brown who started five games and second-year tight end Trevon Wesco who served primarily as a fullback down the stretch last season.

Head coach Adam Gase loves to run a lot of two-tight-end sets in his offensive scheme. It will be interesting to see how much the tight ends benefit in an offense where there is a lot of unproven talent at the wide receiver position.

Look for the tight-end duo of Herndon and Griffin to have a huge year in 2020.