Set to be without Chris Herndon for the season’s first month, the Jets added some experience Monday. The team and veteran tight end Ryan Griffin agreed to terms, per Brian Costello of the New York Post.
A six-year veteran, Griffin joins fourth-round rookie Trevon Wesco and fifth-year players Eric Tomlinson and Daniel Brown (a combined 51 career catches). Griffin ended his Texans run with 136 receptions, topping out with a 50-catch, 442-yard 2016 season.
Following an arrest on charges of misdemeanor vandalism and public intoxication, the Texans released Griffin in May. The charges were later dismissed. Griffin, 29, will now have a chance to make an impact with a second franchise.
Griffin’s functioned as a part-time starter throughout his career, earning that distinction 36 times since debuting in 2013 after being a sixth-round Texans pick. He started a career-high 11 games for the 2018 Texans and, with Herndon set to be shelved on a four-game suspension, stands to have a decent chance at working with Jets first-stringers in September.
The Jets are going to need to take some chances on player character as they just don’t have all the players they need to compete on a week-to-week basis.