Turns Out the Vikings Employ an “Overpaid” Player
GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has handed out a substantial amount of money to his players over the last few years, which suggests that the Vikings have some real star power. That, of course, is headlined by Justin Jefferson, who he made (at that point) the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
Turns Out the Vikings Employ an “Overpaid” Player
Other highly-paid players include Christian Darrisaw, the franchise left tackle, but also Pro Bowlers Byron Murphy Jr. and Jonathan Greenard. All of those players have undoubtedly earned their salaries, but tight end T.J. Hockenson did not, thinks Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon, who named him the NFL’s most overpaid tight end.
He released his “all overpaid” team, and Hockenson, with his four-year deal worth $66 million, got the unfavorable nod.
Gagnon wrote, “At 28, T.J. Hockenson may be trending toward ‘bust’ status. The top-10 pick from 2019 flirted with success in his entry-level tenure with Detroit and flashed at times during his first full campaign with Minnesota, but a major knee injury suffered late that year sunk much of his 2024 season. He returned to play 10 games but averaged just 45.5 yards per outing and didn’t score a single touchdown.”
Hockenson’s 2024 campaign didn’t live up to his contract, no doubt. However, he was recovering from a torn ACL and missed the first seven games as a result. Then, the Vikings slowly eased him into the lineup, which further dipped his averages.
He was clearly not at his best all year because of a very understandable reason, as he missed the entire offseason and couldn’t get his body in the best shape. Furthermore, he couldn’t build a connection with Sam Darnold. Hockenson then caught a touchdown in the playoffs. It’s also noteworthy that the number of 45.5 yards per game isn’t too bad; it still ranked him eighth among tight ends last year. In fact, since signing the contract, Hockenson ranks fifth in yards per game, despite not reaching 100% last season.
That’s not a “bust.”
The tight end is one of the very few players at his position that an offense can run an entire game plan through. Just look back at his 2023 season, when he was the featured player without Justin Jefferson in the lineup. Rookie Addison was suddenly the top receiver, and K.J. Osborn was the next man in line. Quarterback Josh Dobbs heavily relied on the star tight end, who single-handedly carved up the Saints’ defense in the first half despite suffering from a painful rib injury.
In the seven games without Jefferson, Hockenson produced 50 receptions for 532 yards and three touchdowns. Just for reference, in a full 17-game season, that results in 1,292 yards and seven scores. The yards would be the 8th-most ever for a tight end in a single season. A potential focal point of an offense deserves a decent paycheck.
He has caught passes from Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, Joshua Dobbs, and Sam Darnold. In the upcoming season, he’ll be on the receiving end of some J.J. McCarthy bombs. In training camp, the connection flashed enormous potential, and the duo could hit the ground running with Addison sidelined for three games, further emphasizing Hockenson’s importance.
One could make the argument that the salary of the former eighth overall pick might be a million or two too high, but throwing words like “bust” out is quite ridiculous. He’s currently ranked fourth in annual salary for tight ends, and his production isn’t far off.
Fully healthy, Hock has a chance to remind folks that he’s a Pro Bowl-caliber player.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.