Jets trading Herndon to Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are acquiring tight end Chris Herndon from the New York Jets for draft pick compensation, agent Malki Kawa told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Minnesota will send a 2022 fourth-round pick to New York in exchange for Herndon and a 2022 sixth-round selection, a source told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
The move comes just days after Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. suffered a knee injury that reportedly will sideline him for at least the start of the regular season. Smith's exact timetable is yet to be revealed.
Herndon is expected to have a big role in Minnesota. The 25-year-old, who's entering the last year of his rookie contract, racked up 31 catches for 287 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Selected in the fourth round in 2018, the Miami product set career highs with 502 yards and four touchdowns on 39 receptions as a rookie. He appeared in just one game in 2019 due to a four-game suspension and subsequent rib injury.
The Vikings released Kyle Rudolph in March, ending the longtime tight end's 10-season stint in Minnesota.