New York Giants 2024 Training Camp Preview: CB Tre Herndon

The undrafted free agents on this New York Giants roster hoping to impress this summer can look to cornerback Tre Herndon as an example of how you can go from undrafted to a member of the 53-man roster. 

Herndon signed with the Jaguars in 2018 and made the roster off the back of his special teams performance. The following year, he became a full-time starter. Over his six seasons in the league, he has logged extensive snaps on the outside as well as in the slot. He was formidable in both positions. 

Now he comes to New York with the chance to earn a starting spot on the outside or inside. The Giants have said they have confidence in Cor’Dale Flott to line up opposite Dente Banks, but is that confidence because they were unsuccessful in singing veterans  Tre’Davious White, Darious Williams, and Stephen Nelson, or because they really believe in Flott? 

Whatever the case, Herndon has versatility, which seems to be a word used a lot this off-season. He has played many games on the outside and has been in many battles inside as well. 

The question for the 28-year-old vet is can he usurp a couple of the younger defensive backs on this roster for their starting spot or is he a spell guy who has the ability to fill in if someone comes up with an injury? 

He has more experience than any cornerback on the roster. His 3,107 defensive snaps are far more than any defensive back on this roster. He has seen everything there is to see at the position and he’s still young enough to take advantage of that experience and wisdom on the field. We know he will be eager to prove to Jacksonville that they probably gave up on him while he still had many useful years in this league.

The answer to whether Herndon has an avenue to a high-usage position on this defense lies in where the Giants feel he can be the most useful. If the plan is to play him primarily on the outside, he’s not taking Bank’s spot, which means that there might be a head-to-head competition with Flott, which ultimately Flott has the inside track towards. 

If that’s the plan, then he is likely going to be a super sub and he utilized wherever needed. However, if the plan is to play him inside, he could be in a battle with another vet, Darnay Holmes, and the rookie Dru Phillips for the primary nickel position. 

This would be intriguing because all three have questions to answer. Phillips will need to prove he is ready right now to contribute to the defensive success. Show that he does not need a season to figure it out. Holmes has to show more consistency in pass coverage. 

He needs to prove that he will not be a coverage liability in a pass-happy NFL. Herndon will need to prove that he can provide better overall performance over the incumbent and the rookie. 

He needs to show that he is not a spot starter but someone the team would be wise to invest in over the next few years. That would be one of the best defensive battles to watch during training camp.

Height: 5-11
Weight: 190 lbs.
Exp: 7
School: Vanderbilt
How Acquired: FA-24

Last year, Herndon experienced his healthiest season since 2020 and there’s no surprise that it was his most productive since that time as well. He appeared in 16 games for the Jaguars and recorded 46 tackles including 31 solo stops. 

His nine passes defended were his best mark since 2019 when he recorded 13. For the second season in a row, he forced a fumble, and he also added a career-high three quarterback hits. 

He accounted for 46 percent of the defensive snaps, primarily from the interior, and he remained a presence on the special teams unit.