Getty Head coach Kevin O'Connell of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Minnesota Vikings may have a problem with one of their top offensive players. In fact, they may have two.
That was the conclusion drawn by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk on Sunday, August 6, when he reported that tight end T.J. Hockenson is potentially injured, may be conducting a hold-in of sorts over his contract negotiations, or both.
T.J. Hockenson hasn’t been participating in team drills lately — due to injury or contract or maybe a little or both.
“T.J. Hockenson hasn’t been participating in team drills lately — due to injury or contract or maybe a little [of] both,” Pro Football Talk posted on its Twitter account with a link to a story authored by Florio.
The article went on to cite “multiple reporters” who have noted Hockenson’s absence during contact portions of practice that involve players wearing pads.
“Via multiple reporters covering the team, Hockenson has not been participating in team drills during padded practices. On Saturday, he was not in uniform for the full-pads session,” Florio wrote. “Unless he’s got an injury that has yet to be disclosed, he’s avoiding potentially serious injury until he can get the kind of contract that will properly reward him for his skills and abilities as one of the better tight ends in football.”
T.J. Hockenson Expected to Sign Among Richest Tight End Deals in NFL History
GettyTight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings in the offensive huddle during an NFL game against the Buffalo Bills in November 2022.
Hockenson finished the initial four years of his rookie contract in Minnesota after the Vikings parted ways with a second-round pick (and more) to acquire him from the Detroit Lions ahead of the mid-season trade deadline. However, the Lions added a fifth year to Hockenson’s deal by exercising their team option on his contract in April 2o22 — a right NFL teams reserve with first-round picks. Detroit selected Hockenson with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2019 draft.
The tight end earned $19.8 million over the first four campaigns of his career and is set to make just shy of $9.4 million in 2023. However, that number is well below Hockenson’s market value as a two-time Pro Bowler heading into his age-26 season.
Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus projected in an article published on August 1 that Hockenson will ink a four-year, $64 million extension ($37.5 million fully guaranteed) with the Vikings ahead of the start of the regular season, which Minnesota opens on September 10 at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“The former Iowa Hawkeye has put up three straight season-long receiving grades above 73.0 on at least 60 receptions,” Spielberger wrote. “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).”
The exact deal proposed by Spielberger would make Hockenson the second-highest paid tight end in the NFL, both in terms of overall contract value and annual average salary, per Over The Cap.
Vikings Indicate New Deal for T.J. Hockenson Imminent
GettyTight end T.J. Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings makes a catch during an NFL game against the Washington Commanders in November 2022.
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah all but confirmed that a new deal is in the works for Hockenson when he spoke with reporters late last month.
“Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah also said he spoke recently with TE T.J. Hockenson’s representatives,” Alec Lewis of The Athletic tweeted on July 25. “Said that the team is going to find a long-term solution for him.”
Hockenson made 86 catches for 914 yards and six touchdowns last season, earning Pro-Bowl honors for the second time in his career (2020), per Pro Football Reference.