Tag: Chris Herndon

89 days until Vikings season opener: Every player to wear No. 89

31 players have worn the No. 89 for the Minnesota Vikings, but who are the standouts of that list?

It’s the final countdown…

Well, sort of.

The Minnesota Vikings will kick off their 2023 regular season in 89 days at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 10.

From now until then, we will take a trip down memory lane and count each day by revisiting the players that have worn that specific jersey number.

Undrafted rookie Thayer Thomas currently occupies No. 89, but his time on the Vikings roster could be limited. Ultimately, this number has changed hands quite a few times, with only a handful of players wearing it for more than just a season.

With 89 days until kickoff, here’s a look at every player to wear No. 89 with the Vikings (via Pro Football Reference):

Saints sign former Vikings, Jets tight end Chris Herndon

The Saints signed former Vikings and Jets tight end Chris Herndon, adding depth to a position running thin at training camp:

Here’s some more depth for one of the New Orleans Saints’ weaker position groups. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that the Saints were “expected to sign” tight end Chris Herndon on Tuesday, which was confirmed by NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill once pens were put to paper. It’s an interesting addition. The corresponding move to open a spot on the 90-man roster isn’t immediately clear.

Herndon, 26, put up his best numbers as a rookie with the New York Jets in 2018 — totaling 39 receptions (on 56 targets) for 502 receiving yards, 4 touchdown catches, and 25 first down conversions. Since then he’s amassed 36 receptions (off of 54 targets) for just 334 yards, 4 TD’s and 21 first downs. And that’s after the Jets traded him to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a fourth-round pick, where Herndon played a bit part (only twice seeing 20-plus snaps on offense).

Some of that drop-off has been attributed to a lost 2019 season that began with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, following by a season-ending hamstring injury just 18 snaps into his return. That rough sophomore year stunted Herndon’s development and put him on the outs with New York. Now he’s looking for a fresh start, and the Saints do have a history of getting the most out of their tight ends.

If Herndon can climb the depth chart and recapture some of that playmaking ability he flashed as a rookie, maybe he finds a second wind in New Orleans. Taysom Hill is sidelined with a rib injury. Nick Vannett and Juwan Johnson have been limited in practice managing their own ailments. That leaves newcomers J.P. Holtz, Brandon Dillon, and Lucas Krull in the mix. We’ll see if Herndon can stand out from the pack soon enough.

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Former Vikings TE Chris Herndon expected to sign with Saints

Chris Herndon is New Orleans-bound.

Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Chris Herndon will be chanting “Who Dat” the next time you see him after agreeing to a deal with the New Orleans Saints.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the news on Tuesday.

Herndon has been waiting for the phone to ring after his one-and-done season with the Vikings. The 26-year-old tight end was packaged with a 2022 sixth-round draft pick in a trade nearly a year ago in exchange for a 2022 fourth-rounder from the Vikings.

Irv Smith Jr. suffered a torn meniscus, and the Vikings were working to add depth behind Tyler Conklin. But things never panned out in Minnesota for Herndon, who finished the season with only five receptions for 40 yards and one touchdown.

Like the Vikings, the Saints are hopeful they can unearth the rookie version of the tight end, when he still played for the Jets. He hauled in 39 receptions for 502 yards and four touchdowns that season.

If that player still exists, the Saints have hope for another legitimate offensive weapon with this signing.

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Updated list of Vikings free agents still left unsigned

Here’s a list of Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned.

The Minnesota Vikings are preparing for their first padded practice in their second week of training camp, while former players for the team are still looking for a job.

There are multiple key veteran players, including four-time Pro Bowler Anthony Barr, waiting around for the right offer from another team. Granted, it was recently reported that the Dallas Cowboys should be one of the teams to watch out for as a potential suitor for Barr.

And perhaps that’ll be the case for some of the other names on this list with interest eventually coming from other teams.

As we get deeper into training camp and eventually the preseason, more opportunities will arise with players getting injured or even cut from teams. That could open the door for players on this list to get back on the field. But until that happens, the waiting game will continue.

Former Vikings offensive tackle Rashod Hill was recently picked up by the Washington Commanders. So opportunity can clearly come knocking at any moment.

Here’s the updated list of Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned.

Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned

Heading into the month of July, these are the Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned.

Training camp is right around the corner, and there are still impactful Minnesota Vikings free agents that have yet to be picked up by a team.

There have been some updates since we last checked in a month ago, most notably with wide receiver Chad Beebe finding a home with the Houston Texans, and Dede Westbrook receiving a contract offer to return to Minnesota.

Beebe fell through the cracks when he was still with the Vikings due to the rapidly growing talent at the receiver position. The arrival of players like K.J. Osborn and Ihmir Smith-Marsette pretty much ensured that he’d never see the field.

He’s hopeful that’ll change as a veteran for a Texans team seeking new direction.

Meanwhile, Westbrook still remains a free agent, despite receiving a contract offer from the Vikings after a spring workout. However, he turned down that offer, and the team signed Albert Wilson to a one-year deal instead.

Keep in mind, more opportunities will obviously open up when teams get into camp, and rosters are impacted by performance and injuries. Here’s the list of Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned in July.

List of remaining unsigned Vikings free agents

There are some surprising names on this list

With OTAs wrapping up and veteran mandatory minicamp right around the corner, there are still some noteworthy names on the list of Minnesota Vikings free agents that remain unsigned.

The biggest name on that list is obviously former four-time Pro Bowler and All-Pro outside linebacker Anthony Barr.

After spending eight seasons with the Vikings, Barr’s contract was allowed to expire in the offseason ahead of the regime shift in Minnesota.

Not only did the team replace him with Za’Darius Smith, but they also gave away the No. 55 jersey he wore during his time with the franchise.

It’s a bit shocking that he’s still one of the players on this list considering he’s more than capable of helping a team in need at the linebacker position. The same could be said about other names on this list as well, assuming they end up in the right situation.

Here are the Vikings free agents that still remain unsigned to this point.

Vikings 2022 offseason preview: Where does Minnesota stand at TE?

An improved Irv Smith Jr. could take the offense to new heights

The Minnesota Vikings never got to show everything under the hood offensively with Irv Smith Jr. going down with a torn meniscus before the season even started. So there’s some genuine excitement to see what the tight end position looks like in a Kevin O’Connell-coached offense.

But things aren’t quite as certain with this skilled group as they are at running back and receiver. A move of some sort is likely coming considering they have multiple players heading into free agency, along with the fact that Smith is coming off a season-ending injury.

The opportunities at tight end should be plenty with the bevy of offensive skilled weapons already on the field for the Vikings.

Here are where things stand at the position right now.

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6 tight ends the Panthers should consider in free agency

It’s not at the top of the Panthers’ to-do list, but the TE position needs some added juice in 2022. Here are six cost-effective options they could target in free agency.

The Carolina Panthers and head coach Matt Rhule need a tight end! They need a tight end!

But seriously, they really do.

Since the departure of franchise great Greg Olsen, the Panthers have had some frighteningly barren production out of the position. Over the past four (yes, four) seasons, Carolina tight ends have totaled 206 receptions for 2,076 yards and 13 touchdowns.

While it’s not totally for a lack of talent or effort, as the franchise has played a sick game of musical chairs under center since then, there’s no doubt the Panthers could see some improvement in that spot. So, here are six cost-effective options they should consider in free agency.

How did 11 Jets departures play with their new teams in 2021?

How did some ex-Jets perform with their news teams in 2021 after leaving New York?

Joe Douglas sent a lot of players packing last offseason. For the most part, he made smart decisions, as ex-Jets didn’t fare too well with new teams in 2021 after middling careers in New York.

The most notable departures, such as Sam Darnold and Chris Herndon, squandered fresh starts in new cities. A few former Jets took advantage of increased opportunities elsewhere, but New York didn’t miss most of the players Douglas didn’t retain.

Here’s how 11 Jets cast-offs fared away from New York in 2021.

Three decisions the Vikings probably regret now

Here are three decisions the Vikings probably want back:

The Vikings had an eventful offseason where the team had to decide whether to overhaul the roster or continue to build for the short term.

For the most part, Minnesota built for the short term, signing free agents to one-year deals in hopes of competing for the postseason in 2021.

What does the team have to show for it? So far, a 5-7 record. The Vikings have made some regrettable decisions. Here are three that come to mind: