Ryan Griffin was a non-factor for the Jets last year and through his first seven games this season, but the tight end has started to make an impact.
Griffin caught a mere nine passes for 86 yards in 2020 after New York gave him a three-year deal. Both were career-lows for the nine-year veteran, and Griffin failed to score after racking up five touchdowns in 2019, his first season with the Jets.
The 31-year-old offered much of the same through the first eight weeks of 2021, totaling 10 receptions for 71 yards. But, with starting tight end Tyler Kroft on injured reserve with a lung laceration, Griffin has shown glimpses of his 2019 self in recent weeks, catching eight of 13 targets for 88 yards and a touchdown over his last three games.
“I thought it’s what it should’ve been, really,” Griffin said, per the New York Post’s Zach Braziller. “Last year was pretty frustrating for me, but that’s gone. We’re on to this year, playing a lot more with [Kroft] out, but I’m all for it.”
While Griffin’s recent numbers are not extraordinary, they exceed his production from a season ago. That’s significant for a team that has received just 30 catches, 279 yards and two touchdowns from its tight ends this year.
New York has long ignored the position, so even a little bit of production from Griffin, his own recent struggles aside, stands out. He’s hoping to make more of an impact in the weeks to come, starting with Gang Green’s Week 12 contest against Houston, Griffin’s first NFL team.
“I feel really comfortable in every aspect of the offense,” Griffin said, “and looking forward to more on Sunday.”
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