What the Chris Herndon Trade Could Mean for Irv Smith Jr Injury and Other Surprises on Roster Cut Down Day

The Minnesota Vikings have made a trade with the New York Jets for 25-yr-old tight end Chris Herndon, who busted onto the scene as a rookie in 2018 (502 YDS, 4 TD), but then fell off in 2019 and 2020. His steps back can be blamed in part due to injuries and suspension problems.

The #Vikings have solved their TE issue, as they are trading for promising #Jets TE Chris Herndon in exchange for draft pick compensation, sources say. Agent @malkikawa later confirmed the deal. Herndon steps right in following Irv Smith’s knee injury.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 31, 2021

To facilitate the Chris Herndon trade, the #Jets paid him a roughly $1.4 million signing bonus, while the #Vikings will pay only the $920,000 minimum salary. So in essence, New York trades Herndon, a 6th-round pick and a little cash for a 4th, and Minnesota gets TE help cheap. https://t.co/PKNOcBMGNh

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2021

Hopefully, Herndon has grown out of his injury and suspension-riddled past. Even if he has, the questions surrounding him are aplenty. If you read and poke around on one side of the internet, you’ll find that Chris Herndon’s problems were mostly because of bad luck and Adam Gase’ lack of coaching ability. But if you look elsewhere, you’ll see Herndon’s career described as disappointing and underachieving, with nobody to blame but himself.

Not Good for Irv…

It seems like just a few days ago that Irv Smith Jr had his best preseason performance of the year and was optimistic with media afterward, about where the Minnesota Vikings offense was heading in 2021. Wait… that’s because it was.

Now, it’s difficult to view this trade as anything other than an attempt to sure up a suddenly flimsy tight end position, due to negative news incoming on Irv Smith Jr’s surprise MCL injury. Most of what we had heard, regarding the tight ends leading up to last weekend, was positive.

Nobody was expecting any moves to be made targeting tight ends. So what changed? Irv Smith Jr’s status as a HEALTHY TE1 option for most of the season, maybe? We’ll know shortly, I’d imagine.

Cuts Cuts Cuts

NFL Teams are rounding out their rosters this afternoon and the Minnesota Vikings have made a number of moves over the last hour. They cut Dakota Dozier, Hercules Mata’afa, Dru Samia and Jake Browning, among the many others (per Chris Tomasson (Pioneer Press).

The most shocking cuts came a couple hours after the first round were already announced. Apparently, these things get crazier as the night goes on because Everson Griffen, who the Vikings just signed last week, and Ameer Abdullah were just announced as being cut casualties.

The Vikings cut Everson Griffen according to the waiver wire. Surprise move.

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 31, 2021

#Vikings release RB Ameer Abdullah.

— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) August 31, 2021

The biggest surprise keep was Dan Chisena, who most had left off their projected 53-man roster.

Zim and Spielman must’ve decided that his special teams play was too important to lose. DT Jalyn Holmes and K Greg Joseph (for now) appear to have made the final cuts as well.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan