Getty Tight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings‘ season kicks off in 19 days and one of their best players has yet to take part in any team drills.
T.J. Hockenson isn’t physically hurt, though his feelings may be over a contract extension dispute that continues to stretch into the late stages of the preseason. The tight end has officially listed an inner-ear infection as a reason for missing certain practice drills, saying that it’s not about his contract situation.
Judd Zulgad of SKOR North took to Twitter with an update on both after an interview with Hockenson on Monday, August 21.
Evening Judd: Updates on T.J. Hockenson and a Lewis Cine injury from #Vikings training camp. #SKOL
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I stopped him after practice to ask about his inner-ear infection and/or contract situation because he continues not to take part in team drills. I asked him flat out, “Is this about your contractual situation?”
He said, “That’s not my focus. I wanna be set for the season-opener.” [Hockenson] also said he doesn’t know if a contract is near. But it certainly is suspicious that Hockenson [is] still taking part in drills, just not team drills, as the season approaches. He has now missed valuable practice time.
T.J. Hockenson, Vikings at Impasse Over Guaranteed Money
GettyTight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings gestures toward an official during an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills in November 2022.
Despite Hockenson’s assertions, the situation appears to come down to money. And not just any kind of money. Guaranteed money specifically.
Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press contended on August 19 that a dispute over guaranteed money has stalled negotiations between the team and its tight end, noting a financial trend in the process.
The holdup in Hockenson negotiations is believed to be not the overall amount of the contract, but the amount of guaranteed money. The Vikings the past two years have ranked in the bottom half-dozen in the NFL in actual cash payroll. It might be more than coincidental that two years ago owners Mark and Zygi Wilf paid more than $400 million for Major League Soccer’s Orlando City team.
Some smart people wonder whether that purchase has had an effect on how much cash they can spend going forward on the Vikings.
T.J. Hockenson Predicted to Sign Among Richest Tight End Contracts in NFL With Vikings
GettyTight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings reacts after a play against the New York Giants during an NFC Wild Card playoff game in January 2023.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus projected on August 1 that Hockenson will ultimately sign a $64 million deal that includes $37.5 million in guarantees.
Guaranteed money has become a crucial battleground in NFL negotiations with top players around the league. Most contracts in the other major professional sports, like the NBA and MLB, are fully-guaranteed. Quarterback Deshaun Watson leveraged the Cleveland Browns into fully-guaranteeing $230 million over five years just last offseason. Lamar Jackson’s prolonged holdout and trade request from the Baltimore Ravens was also reported to be over guaranteed dollars.
All-Pro wideout Justin Jefferson, Hockenson’s pass-catching counterpart in Minnesota, is also extension-eligible this summer. He is expected to reset the receiver market whenever he gets extended and will be certain to push for a high percentage of his record-setting deal to be fully-guaranteed.
It’s hard to say how accurate Spielberger’s prediction is, though a deal in that ballpark would make Hockenson the second-highest paid tight end in the NFL in both overall contract value and average annual salary, per Over The Cap.
However, the Vikings’ unwillingness to guarantee more than 60% of that number appears to be the last obstacle to clear before Minnesota opens the regular season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Minneapolis on September 10.