In Response to Adversity, Vikings Have Supercharged a Specific Position
The Vikings have supercharged the tight end position. They’ve done so largely as a result of the T.J. Hockenson injury.
When available, Hockenson is a game-changing tight end. He is capable of doing damage in the intermediate area of the field and he functions as a nice complement to the recently-extended Justin Jefferson. Prior to going down to injury, Hockenson’s numbers were soaring toward notable highs. He was sitting on 95 catches, 960 yards, and 5 touchdowns. How does Minnesota replace that production in the opening weeks of the season?
The Vikings Have Supercharged the TE Competition
Consider what Wes Phillips had to say not too long ago.
The Vikings’ OC explained that a major part of the motivation for adding Robert Tonyan was to replace the missing production from Hockenson. “Obviously, with T.J. being out,” Phillips explains, “I think Robert can kind of fill some of those roles that T.J. did for us.” There’s even a hint that the TE1 could be gone for more than just a game or two: “A lot of production from T.J. that we’re going to miss for a little bit.”
So then are we talking about just a one-for-one situation? Hockenson is recovering so there is a single replacement in Tonyan? Not exactly.
After the draft, the Vikings scooped up Trey Knox among the UDFA options. He’ll be looking to prove that he at least deserves a spot on the practice squad.
But then there’s also the addition of Sammis Reyes, someone who doesn’t count toward the 90-man roster given his status within the International Player Pathway program. There has even been a position switch. N’Keal Harry, a wide receiver with tremendous size, has been kicked inside to tight end.
And then that’s not even accounting for last season’s returners: Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, and Nick Muse. Those three are likely among the favorites to land on the final 53-man roster. Or, at least, the version of the roster that gets sent out in Week 1.
Add it all up and here is how the hierarchy looks:
- TE1: T.J. Hockenson
- TE2: Josh Oliver
- TE3: Johnny Mundt
- TE4: Robert Tonyan
- TE5: Nick Muse
- TE6: N’Keal Harry
- TE7: Trey Knox
- TE8: Sammis Reyes
Taken together, the Vikings have a supercharged competition at a position that sometimes gets overshadowed. Make no mistake, though: the Vikings are taking their tight end competition very seriously.
T.J. Hockenson, 26, signed a 4-year, $66 million extension with the Vikings last offseason. His cap charge in 2024 sits at a bit beyond $14 million.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.