There’s No Time Like The Present For TE Chris Herndon
K. Joudry
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The Vikings recently announced the unfortunate news that TE Ben Ellefson will need to be moved to the IR. He’ll therefore be absent for the Dallas game (and several more afterwards). Perhaps the main implication is that TE Chris Herndon will be receiving more snaps.
After TE1 Irv Smith was lost to injury before the beginning of the season, Rick Spielman followed a familiar pattern. When Teddy Bridgewater was lost in 2016, Spielman traded for Sam Bradford. When Danielle Hunter missed the year in 2020, Spielman traded for Yannick Ngakoue. When the news emerged about Smith’s injury, Spielman traded for Jets TE Chris Herndon, a player who has shown upside in the past but who didn’t appear to have a role with New York going forward.
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After six games in a purple uniform, Herndon has been mostly a disappointment. He has one lonely catch for a humble two yards. In fairness, it was a TD:
Our Vikings will likely lean on a fair amount of 11 personnel against the Cowboys. K.J. Osborn happens to be both a strong receiver and capable blocker, so the team can still run effectively when they only have a single tight end on the field. Even still, a key part of Minnesota’s offensive identity rests in 12 personnel. Minnesota wants to be unpredictable, forcing defenses to account for the fact that they can do any number of things on any number of plays. That uncertainty can force a defense to play slow as they try to discern what they’re seeing. Multiple tight ends might mean run; multiple tight ends might mean pass.
Of course, being able to accomplish this goal requires the right personnel. That’s where TE Chris Herndon comes in. Though he has limited snaps, Herndon’s best grades on PFF are in both pass and run blocking. His ability to succeed as a blocker and occasional pass catcher will be very important.
It’s clear the team thinks highly of Tyler Conklin. He was supposed to be the TE2 but has been elevated to TE1 duties following the Smith injury. Ellefson was in that TE2 spot, consistently getting more snaps than Herndon. That’s no longer an option. Unless the team adds someone from the practice squad (Zach Davidson or Brandon Dilllon) or a veteran free agent, Herndon will need to take on more snaps. Otherwise, the only option is to run far more 11 and 21 personnel. Maybe we’ll see C.J. Ham lined up along the line in more of a TE role.
It goes without saying that the Dallas game is a massive one for the Vikings. As Henrique suggests, Minnesota’s offense will need to have a strong game; our defense is unlikely to completely shut down Dallas’ offensive talent. If Chris Herndon can step up at TE, Minnesota’s offense will have even less of an excuse if they don’t perform well on Sunday Night Football.