The Jets are in a bind at tight end.
Chris Herndon’s four-game suspension leaves New York with Eric Tomlinson, Trevon Wesco and Daniel Brown on the depth chart heading into the regular season. Tomlinson and Wesco are known for their blocking, while Brown is unproven and probably better off used as a blocker as well.
Herndon’s suspension was expected, but now, the Jets have to scramble to add tight end depth before the beginning of training camp. Fortunately for general manager Joe Douglas, there are still a handful of solid players at the position available in free agency.
With that being said, here are four tight ends still on the market that New York could target.
Jermaine Gresham
Gresham caught only nine passes for 94 yards last season with the Cardinals, but don’t be fooled by the numbers. The two-time Pro Bowler is still a reliable receiver who can get the job done when his number is called.
At 31, Gresham’s best days are behind him. He is no longer the freak athlete he once was, nor does he currently possess the top-end speed that made him a first-round pick of the Bengals in 2010. However, the Oklahoma product might be New York’s best bet on the free agent market. Given his track record, Gresham would serve as a solid safety blanket underneath for Sam Darnold.
The Jets aren’t getting Gresham in his prime, but that doesn’t mean he can’t come to the Big Apple and make an impact. For four weeks, all New York needs is a veteran tight end who can catch some passes and run decent routes. That shouldn’t be too much for Gresham to handle.
Ryan Griffin
Before he was known as the guy who punched out a Nashville hotel window on the same night the Texans drafted his replacement, Griffin was a solid pass-catching tight end for Houston.
The 29-year-old Griffin caught only 24 passes for 305 yards last season, but has a 50-catch season in 2016 on his ledger. It’s been a while since Griffin put up those numbers, but his drop in production can be attributed to the Texans going in a different direction at tight end and with their offensive philosophy rather than a decline in the New Hampshire native’s game.
Griffin should warrant a look from the Jets at the very least. He might not be the one they settle on as Herndon’s temporary replacement, but it’s worth bringing him in for a workout nonetheless.
Dion Sims
On paper, Sims doesn’t seem like an option the Jets should be interested in. He appeared in only eight games with the Bears last season, catching two passes for nine yards. However, Sims has a connection with New York that could land him at One Jets Drive.
Sims spent a season in Miami with Adam Gase before signing with the Bears in 2017. Coincidentally, Sims’ lone season playing for Gase was his best. In 2016, the Michigan State product caught a career-high 26 passes for 256 yards and four touchdowns — also a career-high.
Sims has functioned more as a blocker throughout his career, but he can produce in the passing game as well. Given his familiarity with Gase’s system, Sims could be an intriguing option for the Jets and arguably the least surprising name on this list considering Gase’s affinity for bringing in players he knows from previous stops.
Lance Kendricks
Much like Ryan Griffin, Kendricks played the past two seasons in an offense that does not focus on throwing to its tight ends and for a team that added superior talent to its tight end depth chart. He also has a 50-catch season in 2016 on his resume, which could lead the Jets to give him a look.
Kendricks, 31, joined the Packers coming off a career year and has been seldom targeted ever since. Signing on to play with Aaron Rodgers enticed Kendricks, but as the Packers added Jimmy Graham and their young outside receivers developed into reliable targets, Kendricks faded into the background.
With the Jets, Kendricks would be back at the forefront of the action for the first time in three years. He probably won’t be at the top of New York’s tight ends wish list, but he’s not a bad option either.
