SF 49ers: 4 trade targets on NY Jets as they hold fire sale
By Peter Panacy
SF 49ers Trade Target No. 2: Tight End Chris Herndon
During the offseason, the Niners made a concerted effort to reinforce their tight end room behind All-Pro George Kittle.
It somewhat worked, namely by adding veteran pass-catcher Jordan Reed to the fray. But Reed suffered ankle and knee injuries in Week 3, and his return to the field to complement Kittle remains an open-ended question.
The rookie, Charlie Woerner, has been scantly used in blocking-only situations, leaving backup tight end Ross Dwelley the lone other option.
It’s not likely the SF 49ers re-sign Reed this offseason once his contract expires. But if the team still wants to feature packages with multiple pass-catching threats at the position, trading for the Jets’ 24-year-old tight end, Chris Herndon, wouldn’t be too bad of an idea.
Herndon’s 502-yard, four-touchdown campaign his rookie year in 2018 suggested he could be a factor. Injuries thwarted his sophomore campaign, however, and Herndon simply hasn’t caught on as a viable weapon for New York this season. To date, he has a mere 13 catches for 98 yards and has become something of an afterthought.
The former fourth-round draft pick of the Jets still has one more year on his rookie deal and will count for just over $1.08 million against the cap.
That’s affordable and helps the Niners get some much-needed depth at the position behind Kittle.