Chris Herndon is hard at work to follow up an impressive rookie campaign with a strong sophomore season.

The tight end hauled in 39 receptions, 502 yards and four touchdowns in his first season as a pro.

This offseason, Herndon is grinding in the lab with an emphasis on training, nutrition and film study.

Herndon already established himself as a go-to target for quarterback Sam Darnold but understands more will be expected of him in 2019.

“You could have all the skill in the world, but if you don’t know what to do, you’re not really going to get much playing time. Period," Herndon said to New York Jets.com. "Before you can get out there and make plays, you have to know where to be and that’s probably the most important part. The athleticism and running comes easy.”

Herndon's versatility as a tight end is why coach Adam Gase refers to him as a “unicorn", according to New York Jets.com.

Tight ends coach John Dunn describes Herndon as a triple threat that can catch passes, block on running plays and protect Darnold from the rush, according to New York Jets.com. Dunn is confident once the athletic Herndon further develops his football IQ, he'll become an even more dynamic threat.

Herndon's decision making off the field will also need to improve, as he's likely to miss the first two games of the regular season due to entering a guilty plea from a DUI arrest. That would be disappointing for Jets fans but more importantly hopefully Herndon learns from his mistake.

In the meantime, Herndon already likes what he sees on offense and envisions a potent attack from Gang Green.

“Just from the jump, we’re taking shots down the field, using everybody and everybody is getting a chance to touch the ball,” Herndon said to New York Jets.com. “You feel a different energy out there and we’re just trying to keep this momentum that we have right now and let that carry into the next day, next camp and going into the season.”