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The Minnesota Vikings have only just begun to hand out new contracts to the elite and eligible players on their roster.
Outside linebacker Danielle Hunter’s reworked deal is essentially a 300% raise over one year from around $5 million to potentially $20 million with incentives in 2023 ($17 million fully guaranteed). Considering what’s coming for the likes of tight end T.J. Hockenson and wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Hunter’s pay bump is about to look cheap by comparison.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus (PFF) predicted on Tuesday, August 1, that the Vikings will extend Hockenson on a massive new deal ahead of Week 1, making him the second-richest tight end in the NFL in the process. Minnesota kicks off the regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Minneapolis on Sunday, September 10.
T.J. Hockenson’s Predicted Extension With Vikings Falls Just Shy of Setting New Tight End Market in NFL
GettyTight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after making a reception against the New York Giants during an NFC Wild Card Playoff Game in January 2023.
Spielberger got specific with his projection, calculating Hockenson’s imminent extension at $64 million over four seasons ($16 million annually), with $37.5 million fully guaranteed. He laid out his case as follows:
Hockenson ranked second among tight ends in regular-season targets after the trade deadline (60), and then quarterback Kirk Cousins looked his way 10 times in a playoff loss to the New York Giants, during which Hockenson racked up 10 receptions for 129 yards. The former Iowa Hawkeye has put up three straight season-long receiving grades above 73.0 on at least 60 receptions. Over that span, he ranks fifth in yards after the catch (945), third in contested catches (31), seventh in 15-plus-yard receptions (43) and sixth in forced missed tackles (23).
Minnesota was willing to sign a primarily blocking tight end in Josh Oliver this offseason to the tune of three years and $21 million, and Hockenson should comfortably double that average annual value on a multi-year extension.
If Spielberger’s financial projections are accurate, the Vikings are about to make Hockenson the second-richest tight end in the NFL in more ways than one — overall contract value and annual average salary.
Only George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers has a larger total deal ($75 million over five years), and only Darren Waller of the New York Giants makes more money per season ($17 million annually over a three-year deal), according to Over The Cap.
T.J. Hockenson Can Function as Vikings’ No. 2 Receiving Option if Necessary
GettyTight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings gestures towards an official during an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills in November 2022.
Speilberger acquiesced that an argument can be made the 26-year-old Hockenson has fallen short of living up to his No. 8 pick status in the 2019 NFL Draft. However, he is a two-time Pro Bowler through just four years in the league and is coming off of the most productive season of his career.
Hockenson saw 129 regular season targets in 2022, hauling in 86 catches for 914 yards and six touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. Just as importantly, Hockenson has proven durable by missing only five regular season contests over the last three campaigns, all of which came two seasons ago when he was a member of the Detroit Lions.
The Vikings drafted Jordan Addison in the hopes that he will become their No. 2 wideout behind Jefferson in his rookie season. But if any issues with development, production or availability arise, Hockenson can function as a dangerous and valuable second option for Cousins as Minnesota attempts to win back-to-back NFC North Division titles for the first time since 2008-09.
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Vikings Projected to Extend Pro Bowler on 2nd-Richest Deal in NFL