Chris Herndon brings more competition to Saints TE room

The New Orleans Saints added another potential tight end option one week into training camp, as Chris Herndon IV joined the team. 

One of the biggest question marks position-wise this offseason for the New Orleans Saints is at tight end and the team added another potential playmaker to the position. Chris Herndon is joining the Saints after spending last year with the Vikings.

Herndon, a fourth-round pick by the Jets in 2018 out of Miami, was electric as a rookie during the 2018 season with 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns but failed to maintain that level of production. He was injured in 2019 and then was underwhelming in 2020, which forced the Jets to trade him to Minnesota.

Herndon continued to struggle in Minnesota, totaling just four catches for 40 yards in 16 games and five starts.

Chris Herndon joins Saints roster to compete for TE spot

Herndon is very much the kind of player that the Saints tend to go after in the summer. He’s someone who had a promising season and then just failed to keep up with that level of momentum. There isn’t pressure on him in New Orleans but he also has to fight for a roster spot just like the majority of the tight ends on the roster.

Adam Trautman is for sure going to make the team, as is Taysom Hill but after that, the last spot or last two spots are up for grabs. Nick Vannett probably is the favorite to win the TE3 job but if Herndon comes in and has an impressive camp, it wouldn’t be wild to see him make the team.

The Saints have struggled to find a consistent reliable tight end since they traded Jimmy Graham in the 2015 offseason. Jared Cook had a decent year a few seasons back but otherwise, it’s been a struggle.

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Maybe Herndon comes in and makes a positive impact, but for now, he’s another tight end joining an already intriguing depth chart.