Jets TE Herndon, G Winters Suffer Significant Injuries, Could Miss Rest of Year

New York Jets tight end Chris Herndon and guard Brian Winters suffered injuries in yesterday’s game against the New York Giants that could keep them out through the rest of the 2019 season.

Herndon suffered a broken rib and Winters suffered a dislocated shoulder. According to team sources both players will miss significant time and may not be back this season. Herndon had missed the first eight games of his sophomore season, first with a suspension, then with a strained hamstring, before finally seeing action yesterday and catching one pass for seven yards. If his season is over it represents a bitter disappointment for Herndon and Jets fans. Herndon had a strong rookie season and was being counted on to take the next step and blossom into a star tight end in his second season. Those hopes will have to be deferred until 2020.

Winters’ injury may end what has been a mostly underwhelming Jets career. After playing mostly mediocre football his first four years in the NFL, then Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan made one of his many head scratching decisions, signing Winters to a rich contract extension, making him one of the higher paid guards in the league. It is safe to say that Winters has not lived up to Maccagnan’s faith in him, one of many such failures in contracts for the former Jets GM. Winters will count for $7.5 million against the Jets’ 2020 salary cap, none of which is guaranteed. It would not be a surprise if he were cut in the off season.