Former Vikings TE Has Been Suspended for Rest of 2022 Season
Josh Frey
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It seems like a free agent would largely go unnoticed in NFL discipline, but apparently this is not the case. This week a former Vikings TE has been suspended for the final eight weeks of the 2022 season. That player is Chris Herndon, who spent the 2021 season with the franchise.
If you’re a Minnesota Vikings fan, you probably remember Herndon. Typically, it would be odd for someone to remember a player who caught just four passes for 40 yards over the course of a season. However, the Vikings tight end is remembered not for his play, but for how he arrived in Minnesota.
Prior to the 2021 season, Irv Smith Jr. tore his meniscus, ending his regular season before it could even get started. Because of this, the Vikings were left scrambling to find options at the position.
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Of course, the starting tight end for the Vikings ended up being Tyler Conklin, but prior to the season, no one could have been certain how well he’d actually play. Thus, the Vikings made a last-ditch trade to acquire tight end depth. This trade was conducted with the New York Jets to acquire Herndon.
The Vikings got a player that was targeted just seven times through the 2021 season, and in return, the Jets got a fourth-round pick in 2022 Draft. That pick ended up being No. 117 in the draft, and New York selected DE Micheal Clemons.
The rookie out of Texas A&M has appeared in all nine games for the Jets this year and has recorded 18 tackles, including 2 TFLs and a sack. Clearly, the Jets came out on top in this trade.
As for Herndon’s suspension, it is unclear exactly what the reasoning is for this suspension. The details remain undisclosed, and all that is known is he won’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. Currently, the Florida alumnus is a free agent, although he did spend a couple weeks in August with the New Orleans Saints.
Herndon actually had a very productive rookie season in 2018, but since then, things have quickly gone downhill. During that 2018 season, he caught 39 passes for 502 yards and 4 TDs. In the three years from 2019-2021, he recorded only 36 receptions for 334 yards and 4 TDs.
The two teams involved in this trade, the Jets and Vikings, will meet later in the 2022 season. That matchup will take place in U.S. Bank Stadium on December 4th. It is part of the Week 13 slate of games.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. He also earned minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his opinions, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.