Following a string of one-year deals with the Jaguars, Tre Herndon will head elsewhere for the first time in his pro career. The Giants are signing the veteran cornerback Wednesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweeted.
Herndon spent the past six seasons with the Jaguars, working as the team’s slot corner in recent years. The Jags changed defensive coordinators this offseason and did not re-sign the experienced cover man. The Giants will add another slot piece to a team that has a few in the fold already.
The Giants had used Cor’Dale Flott in the slot for much of the 2022 and 2023 seasons, but they are planning to shift him to an outside role opposite
Deonte Banks. The team drafted Andru Phillips in Round 3 with an eye on installing him in the slot, and Darnay Holmes remains in the mix after re-signing in March. Given the team’s slot-heavy CB outlook as of mid-June, Herndon represents an interesting addition.
Herndon, 28, signed one-year Jaguars deals in each of the past three offseasons. After the Jags did not bring Herndon back this year, he booked a tryout at the Giants’ minicamp this week, via the New York Daily News’ Pat Leonard. That performance sold the team’s coaching staff, which includes a new DC (Shane Bowen), on giving Herndon a chance.
A Jaguar dating back to the team’s Jalen Ramsey–A.J. Bouye days, Herndon lasted through a few coaching staffs. Signed as a UDFA during Tom Coughlin‘s executive VP tenure, Herndon re-signed during Urban Meyer‘s year in charge and then stayed on during the Doug Pederson-Trent Baalke regime. As the team shifts to Ryan Nielsen as its defensive play-caller, a few pieces — from Ronald Darby to Darnell Savage to third-round pick Jarrian Jones — entered the fray. This left Herndon searching for a new home. The seventh-year CB will attempt to land a role with the Giants, who made a notable change at the position this offseason.
The Giants did not re-sign Adoree’ Jackson, who remains a free agent, and are confident Banks can fill his shoes as the top corner. As prices rise on New York’s payroll following deals for Daniel Jones, Dexter Lawrence, Andrew Thomas and Brian Burns, the team has an all-rookie-deal secondary in place. For the time being, that is expected to include Flott as the other outside CB starter. During OTAs, Phillips was viewed as a live candidate to commandeer Flott’s former slot role. Holmes represented insurance; Herndon adds a more proven presence.
Herndon played 481 defensive snaps last season — his most since a 1,016-snap 2020 — and Pro Football Focus rated him as a top-40 corner, with a poor run-defense grade affecting that placement. This marked a career-best showing, in PFF’s view, for the Vanderbilt alum. Though, the Jaguars reduced Herndon’s playing time over the season’s final six weeks, making it fairly predictable he would need to relocate to continue his career.
The 5-foot-11 defender played a regular role for the Jags’ 2022 playoff team and was viewed as an every-down player in the wake of Ramsey’s in-season 2019 departure. The Jags used Herndon as a frequent sub-package performer under Meyer and Pederson, and he now becomes the Giants’ most experienced DB.