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The Minnesota Vikings are moving to secure a pillar to their passing game long term.
Acquiring tight end T.J. Hockenson in a midseason trade with the Detroit Lions, the Vikings reaped the benefits of giving up a second-round pick for the Iowa native. Hockenson ranked second in catches (60) and receiving yards (519) among tight ends, also setting the record for most catches by a tight end in their first 10 games for a franchise.
Hockenson, 25, has played himself into a future with the new Vikings regime, which has gotten contract extension talks “off the ground” with the former No. 8 overall pick, KSTP’s Darren Wolfson reported on April 6.
Hockenson enters the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, which the Lions exercised, and is set to make $9.33 million in 2023 — the 10th-highest cap hit among tight ends this upcoming season.
Hockenson eclipsed K.J. Osborn and Adam Thielen as the No. 2 option in the passing game and should garner a top-five salary at his position in the ballpark of $14 million to $17 million annually. While that may be a hefty price for a tight end, signing Hockenson as the de-facto second option in the passing game is a bargain considering the wide receivers market has exploded in recent years — not to mention his ability as a blocker as well.
“If you block a run a certain way and you want to have a play pass off of that, nine times out of 10, the tight end has to have a real strong hand in blocking in the play pass as well with maybe a tougher matchup on the edges,” O’Connell said in November at the time of the trade for Hockenson. “I think he’s proven that he can handle that workload as well as be a real factor in the pass game.”
The Vikings also signed former Baltimore Ravens tight end Josh Oliver to a three-year, $21 million deal this offseason — a signal of a major shift in the offense next season.
Vikings Offense Could See Major Change in 2023
Last season, the Vikings ran just 15% of their plays on first down out of a 12-personnel set — one running back, two receivers and two tight ends — ranking 27th in the league.
However, after acquiring Hockenson, Minnesota moved toward heavier personnel sets with tight end Johnny Mundt and fullback C.J. Ham seeing more reps on the line of scrimmage.
Offensive coordinator Wes Phillips didn’t sell too much of a shift in philosophy, attributing the heavier sets to game flow and reacting to how opposing defenses are playing.
But after re-signing Ham to a two-year deal and acquiring Oliver, originally a receiving tight end that developed into Pro Football Focus’ top run-blocking tight end, Minnesota figures to use more unique formations to muddy the pre-snap picture for opposing defenses.
Athletic tight ends who are adept pass catchers offer more complexity to an offense that should help improve the run game while also creating opportunities for mismatches with linebackers.
The evolution of the tight end position hasn’t trended with the financial explosion that receivers have seen in recent years — making the Vikings’ investment in the position a more sound strategy.
1st-Round WR Could Take Vikings Offense Over the Top
One of the Vikings’ biggest flaws on offense last season was an inability to take the top off the defense.
And while Hockenson figures to be the second option behind Justin Jefferson, Minnesota selecting a speedy outside threat at wide receiver early in the draft could be the final piece for the offense to thrive.
The Vikings have done their homework on the upcoming wide receiver class, most recently inviting USC wide receiver and 2021 Biletnikoff-winner Jordan Addison in for a visit.
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