NY Jets Post-2021 NFL Draft State of the Roster: Tight ends

The NY Jets have made sweeping changes to their overall roster this offseason.

Some of that is a byproduct of coming off a two-win season, and part of the overhaul has to do with an entirely new coaching staff arriving and bringing with them vastly different schemes than the Jets have had in recent years.

The Jets' have a brand new quarterback, new running backs, receivers, offensive linemen, defensive linemen, linebackers, and defensive backs.

Players like Zach Wilson, Michael Carter, Corey Davis, Elijah Moore, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Carl Lawson, Vinny Curry, Sheldon Rankins, Lamarcus Joyner, and Jarrad Davis all figure to be starters and key contributors from day one.

Almost every single unit of the team on offense and defense has new blood, and that's not taking into account what the returning C.J. Mosley can bring to the defense and the linebacking corps specifically.

One of the areas on the Jets that has seen very subtle changes is the tight end position. Except for a couple of low-key acquisitions, the top of the Jets' depth chart at tight end remains roughly the same as it was last season.

And the player on top of the chart, Chris Herndon, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, will be looking to rejuvenate his fading career. 

The Jets will play an entirely different offensive scheme than they did last season, with Mike LaFleur coming over from the San Francisco 49ers to call plays.

In the past, the Kyle Shanahan system, which the Jets figure to run a hybrid of, has featured the tight end as a key component in the run and pass game.

The tight ends are often key cogs in the deception used in setting up pass plays and will be utilized in motion heavily to lead block in the run game and to sell running plays on play-action to opposing defenses. 

With the Jets lacking a true fullback on their roster, look for them to utilize a couple of their tight ends in dual roles this coming season.

One of the key coaches on the Jets' new offensive staff is longtime tight ends coach Ron Middleton, a former tight end himself, who played 10 seasons in the NFL and was most recently coaching with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the last eight seasons. Middleton will be entrusted with getting the most out of this position group. 

In 2020, the Jets' tight ends were targeted only 61 times in 16 games last season, and the overall group combined for just 43 total receptions, 409 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. By default, in 2021, these figures should see improvements from a year ago. 

Let's take a look at the tight ends on the Jets' roster post-draft and where they could all fit this coming season.

Chris Herndon, TE, NY Jets

By default, Chris Herndon returns as the most accomplished, receiving tight end on the New York Jets roster. Entering his fourth and possibly final season with the green and white, Herndon is one of the holdover starters from last year's offense that ranked dead last in several offensive categories.

Herndon has survived the Jets offseason roster purge and has a chance to rejuvenate his once-promising career. 

After his standout rookie year, Herndon appeared to be on his way to becoming one of the best young receiving tight ends in football. But year two was a disaster for him.

Herndon was suspended without pay for the first four games of the 2019 season for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. And to make matters worse, when he did return after the suspension, injuries wiped out his entire second season.

Year three saw Herndon produce as a modest contributor at best (31 receptions for 287 yards and three scores). The lone positive from the 2020 campaign was that he finished the year healthy and produced 14 catches in his last three games. 

As far as 2021 goes for Herndon, the fact that the Jets did no go out and draft or acquire a starting tight end in free agency or through a trade bodes well for his chances to rebound in his fourth season.

The floor is his to become the pass-catching tight end he was early on as a Jet. Herndon has a new lease on life with a new coaching staff on offense that promises to be more tight-end-friendly.

Upon arriving at Florham Park, the Jets' new staff began extensive evaluations on the incumbent players on the roster, and the result of those meetings led to the decision to run it back with Chris Herndon. 

With the Jets' new offense, expect Herndon to be utilized on the move a lot — the team will play to his strengths, but he might be required to have more of a physical presence than he has shown in the past, in both the run and pass game.

One underrated aspect of Herndon's game is his pass blocking skills, a trait many overlook when it comes to tight ends, but it's a value that is vital in the Jets' new system.

Particularly in how tight ends on some plays in the new system will often be required to pass block on extended play fakes. 

Perhaps it was out of necessity because the Jets struggled with pressure on their quarterback, but in 2020, Herndon led all NFL tight ends in pass blocking snaps (109) and only allowed four pressures, one sack, and two hurries.

Herndon's pass-blocking grade by Pro Football Focus was 76.1. This trait could help Herndon transition nicely into the Jets' new offense. 

How Chris Herndon fits in with his new coaches will be crucial in his chances to stick on the roster beyond this coming season. After all, Herndon is on a shrinking list of players on the roster that Jets general manager Joe Douglas never drafted.

Durability and reliability have been two of Herndon's biggest issues with the Jets since 2019, and if he repeats the flaws of his past in 2021, he won't have a future with the team. 

Trevon Wesco, TE, NY Jets

One of the biggest surprises of the entire Jets offseason is how the team didn't go out and acquire a fullback for its new offense.

Many assumed that the Jets' offense led by Mike LaFleur would borrow a page from the San Francisco 49ers, but instead, it appears that the new playbook may be a closer copy of the one used in Green Bay under Mike's brother Matt LaFleur.

Everyone under the sun assumed that the Jets' would be strong players for 49ers do-it-all fullback Kyle Juszczyk. But San Francisco wisely paid top dollar for him and prevented one of their best players from entering free agency.

The Jets did not pursue any of the available fullbacks on the open market, and then the draft came, and it was more of the same.

Despite reports that the Jets were interested in drafting Michigan fullback Ben Mason, he was selected by the Baltimore Ravens late in Round 5, two picks before the Jets were on the clock in Round 6. New York did not draft a fullback or sign one as an undrafted free agent.

The only player on the Jets roster that can and has played fullback is third-year player Trevon Wesco, who the team has listed at tight end.

A position he played in college at West Virginia, when the Jets selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Much like the Green Bay Packers, Gang Green has no fullbacks listed on their 90-player roster.

Under Matt LaFleur and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, the Packers employ two tight ends in their starting base on offense, with players like Josiah Deguara and veteran Marcedes Lewis playing in-line and as lead blockers on the move.

The presumption is that the Jets will employ the same type of setup. However, it may seem foolhardy to assume that Mike LaFleur will follow the same steps as his brother.

After all, the newly minted offensive coordinator will be in a position to put his own stamp on an offense he worked under. Although, the roster makeup of the Jets looks very similar to Green Bay's.

And if that's the case, then Trevon Wesco's role in the Jets offense will be crucial in 2021. The 6-foot-3, 267-pound tweener has been used sparingly as a receiver since being drafted.

Despite the fact that some foolishly labeled him as "Baby Gronk" coming out of the 2019 NFL Draft, his role in the Jets offense will call for him to be "Baby Juszczyk."

That's a lot of pressure to put on someone who is largely unproven, but the fact that the Jets did not go out and acquire a player similar to Wesco suggests that they believe that he is up for what will be an important task in the Jets rushing attack.

Ryan Griffin, TE, NY Jets

The Jets have only three players on their entire 90-man roster over 30-years-old. And Ryan Griffin (31), is one of them, along with Vinny Curry (32) and Greg Van Roten (31).

One of the team's most reliable and respected veterans, Griffin had a breakout 2019 campaign that earned him a $10 million contract extension. He's one of the few players in the early days of Joe Douglas's reign as GM that received that type of vote of confidence.

Griffin has always been a solid all-around tight end. And with the Jets, he's one of the team's quiet leaders. It will be interesting to see what role the coaching staff will have for him in 2021.

Griffin is the Jets' best in-line blocker of the entire tight end group. He has solid hands and is tough, but injuries and age could be catching up to him. Could Griffin play the role that Marcedes Lewis plays in Green Bay's offense under Mike's brother, Matt LaFleur?

Griffin still has two years left on his deal, and it's fair to wonder if the Jets will decide to part ways with him because of his age. If the Jets decide to cut Griffin after June 1st, the team will save $2.3 million on their salary cap. He also has a cap figure of $3.4 million in 2022.

Robert Saleh and his staff are looking to build a strong culture in the Jets' locker room. So you could argue that keeping someone like Ryan Griffin around will aid the new staff in that movement.

But the NFL is a numbers game, and Griffin could find his way out the door, despite all the positive attributes that he can provide.

Tyler Kroft, TE, NY Jets

Very quietly, Jets GM Joe Douglas signed veteran tight end Tyler Kroft away from the Buffalo Bills this offseason.

The 6-foot-6 Kroft, a former third-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, has never quite lived up to his draft status coming out of Rutgers. Although, at times, he has had moments where he has shown that he can be a capable and well-rounded tight-end in the NFL.

Kroft showed some flashes for the Bengals as a backup to former All-Pro Tyler Eifert when he was called into duty due to injuries, specifically in 2017, when he finished the season with 42 receptions, 404 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns.

The following year, injuries derailed Kroft from taking the next step as a player. Kroft's work with the Bengals impressed the Buffalo Bills enough in 2019 when they signed him to a three-year, $18.75 million contract in free agency.

But once again, injuries played a significant role in his lack of production. A broken foot in 2019, followed by a 2020 season with Buffalo where Kroft missed several games due to COVID-19, limited his overall production with the Bills.

Kroft's history with injuries is why the Jets signed him to a one-year deal rather than a long-term commitment. Even though Kroft got $1.5 million guaranteed from the Jets, his long-term role with the team is far from guaranteed.

Since 2018, Kroft has missed 25 games and has only 20 receptions during his last three seasons of play.

Tyler Kroft has the size to be a factor in the red zone and is a solid run and pass blocker. Those traits can be very useful in the Jets' new offensive attack.

Pass blocking by tight ends in the Jets' new offensive system is an underrated element on play-action plays. Kroft can be a quality role player on the team, and he was singled out for a reason in free agency by the new staff.

The question is, can Kroft stay on the field long enough to deliver on what is expected of him?

Daniel Brown, TE, NY Jets

Making the Jets' roster this year will be more challenging than it has been in years past. That's a testament to the improvement of the team's overall talent, but a big reason for it is the changes to the Jets coaching staff.

It will be increasingly difficult for holdover players from 2020 to make a good impression on their new coaches. The one player who has a legitimate puncher's chance to still be on the roster in 2021 is Daniel Brown.

And that's for one specific reason. Even though the Jets have an entirely new staff on offense and defense, the one key assistant returning is special teams coordinator Brant Boyer, and the veteran coach has been given more clout and power than he has in the past.

It's the reason that Boyer, despite interest from other teams, has decided to stay on with the Jets under new head coach Robert Saleh.

One of Brant Boyer's very best and most reliable special teams players over the last couple of years has been Daniel Brown.

And it's quite telling that the Jets brought him back late in the free-agent process. Boyer got what he wanted — one of his soldiers back for his special teams' units.

Brown might make the Jets' roster again solely based on his special teams' value.

Despite being a plus athlete with good size and athleticism coming out of James Madison University in 2015, Brown has earned his supper for seven straight seasons because of his special teams' prowess. Brown has played sparingly on offense with just 44 career catches.

In a league where the percentage of players making the NFL out of college is only 1.6 percent, Brown has found a way to have a long career that is still going strong.

He might be fourth or fifth on the Jets' tight end depth chart, but it's clear that he is No. 1 in Brant Boyer's heart.

Kenny Yeboah, TE, NY Jets

The NFL has always been characterized as a copycat league. And in recent years, teams like the Jets have not been afraid to throw guaranteed money at undrafted free agents. NFL teams have also been more apt to take gambles at the tight end position.

Recent examples have seen the Philadelphia Eagles dole out guaranteed money to former University of Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson.

At the same time, the Washington Football Team followed the trend with former basketball player Sammis Reyes. Both teams are looking to replicate what Washington has in former QB and now standout tight end convert Logan Thomas.

NFL teams fall in love with new toys and new projects, and new coaching staffs often forget about the old toys that they already had in their toybox. Making an NFL roster is very difficult — staying on an NFL roster is even more challenging for players that are on the fringe.

A recent example of this is former Stony Brook tight end Connor Davis. The 6-foot-8, 260-pound player found his way on the Jets' practice squad late last season after impressing the team's brass during workouts, only to be released a few days ago to make room for a whole new group of players.

When last season ended, Davis, a relative unknown, who has remodeled himself after a unique college career that saw him playing multiple positions on offense and defense, impressed the Jets enough to earn a futures contract.

The Jets front office was impressed by Davis' size, strength, speed, and versatility as a receiver/blocker. But a new coaching staff, combined with over 20 new rookies now on the Jets roster, means that the old diamond in the rough on the Jets gets traded in for a new one.

The Jets hope they have a diamond in the rough with Ole Miss tight end Kenny Yeboah. Gang Green paid a pretty penny to sign him. The franchise gave Yeboah a deal that includes a $20,000 signing bonus and a $180,000 base salary guarantee.

There are no guarantees that the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Yeboah will make the Jets' active roster come September, but the money committed suggests that the team sees great potential in him for their future.

Reports are that the Jets' front office gave Kenny Yeboah a fourth-round grade in this year's draft. The late-rising prospect saved his best for last in college with a final campaign at Ole Miss that saw him net 524 yards receiving and six touchdowns.

The performance by Yeboah against Alabama in a 63-48 loss to the Crimson Tide is what stood out the most for the Jets. A game where Kenny Yeboah set a school record for most receiving yards by a tight end with 181 on seven receptions with two scores.

Ultimately, the numbers game could play into Yeboah's favor in more ways than one, and it goes beyond the money committed to him.

There are no guarantees that veterans like Ryan Griffin will make the team or that Tyler Kroft will stay healthy enough to contribute, or that Chris Herndon will finally live up to his potential in the final year on his contract.

So Kenny Yeboah is in a position where he could emerge as a viable option in the team's passing game, despite being an undrafted rookie.