Mike Zimmer didn't like the Vikings' depth at tight end after Irv Smith Jr.'s knee injury, and general manager Rick Spielman didn't wait long to address it.
The Vikings traded for tight end Chris Herndon from the Jets on Tuesday afternoon for an undisclosed draft pick, a league source confirmed, giving the offense another experienced option with Smith scheduled for knee surgery this week. Fourth-year tight end Tyler Conklin is the presumed starter, but Minnesota's offense often leans on multiple tight end formations.
Herndon was a 2018 fourth-round pick by the Jets who had his best year, at least statistically, as a rookie. He caught 39 passes for 502 yards and four touchdowns that year. Injuries and inconsistency marred his most recent two seasons in New York.
Herndon, 25, arrives to a Vikings offense that will be without its top threat, Smith, for the foreseeable future. Smith's timeline to return is uncertain heading into knee surgery to repair a meniscus injury suffered in last week's preseason finale in Kansas City, according to Zimmer, who described the position's depth without Smith as "not good."
