Could the Vikings Make a Deal with the Devil?
The Minnesota Vikings have not even remotely looked like the contending team Skol Nation expected (or at least hoped) to watch in the 2025 campaign. It’s a 3-4 operation that is two plays away from being 1-6 with an inconsistent defense and a bad offense. With the Lions and Ravens (probably featuring Lamar Jackson) next on the docket, things could get ugly pretty fast.
Could the Vikings Make a Deal with the Devil?
The trade deadline is approaching, and the Vikings might be sellers for the first time in an eternity. Other teams could be looking to bolster their rosters for playoff runs, and the Vikings employ some talented players who could help elsewhere.
Among those are potentially the Denver Broncos with their 5-2 record. They are currently the team to beat in the AFC West, ahead of the Chargers and Chiefs.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported on Saturday, “The Broncos are monitoring the tight end market.”
She didn’t give any more context than that, but there are only 31 other teams, and the playoff hopefuls aside, it’s not like there are dozens of good tight ends available. The Vikings have T.J. Hockenson under contract, and they could, in theory, do what the Detroit Lions did in 2022 and ship him to another team ahead of the trade deadline.
Sean Payton is the Broncos’ head coach, and he has been a Vikings nemesis since his Saints days, including Bountygate and a couple of Vikings playoff victories. If you ask any Vikings fan about the coach, chances are pretty high that you’d get an answer filled with spite.
Denver’s top tight end is Evan Engram, a former first-round pick of the New York Giants. He’s 31 and has 26 catches for 215 yards and one touchdown in his 2025 statistics. The Broncos also have quarterback Bo Nix under center, who is most comfortable on short throws, and having another tight end weapon could help.
Hockenson was acquired during the 2022 season, and he was fantastic through that campaign. In 2023, he was close to breaking the 1,000-yard barrier, but the infamous Kerby Joseph hit knocked him out for the remainder of the season and half of 2024. Since returning from the injury, he hasn’t been as productive.
This season, he has secured 27 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown. His numbers have improved with Carson Wentz under center, with 39 yards per game, up from 27 yards in total through two J.J. McCarthy games. He has also looked smoother recently than he did last season. Perhaps he has moved past his injury.
A few weeks back, head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about his pass-catcher, and he explained why he’s not as productive this season.
“We’re asking a lot of him right now that doesn’t necessarily coincide with him being one of the best route-running tight ends in the NFL,” O’Connell noted.
“There’s some sacrifice going on, all across our football team, to do whatever is required to win one game. And that mentality can be a powerful thing as we inevitably start to get some guys back.”
The Vikings have frequently used the tight end as a blocker, or at least assigned him to help a tackle because of the injuries to Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill. It has to be done to protect the passers, but it’s certainly not what O’Connell would want to do with his weapon.
Regardless, if the Vikings aren’t going anywhere, they might be interested in getting his salary off the books. Hockenson signed a big four-year deal in 2023, paying him $66 million.
A trade would get the Vikings off the hook from his high cap hits in 2026 and 2027, while also preserving some cap space this year. His hits in the next two years are scheduled to exceed $21 million.
It’s important to note, however, that Hockenson wouldn’t return any big draft compensation. That’s the downside of the bloated contract and the diminishing production.
Hockenson is still a good football player, but likely not worth his salary. If the Broncos truly want a boost in the playoff race, they should give Kwesi Adofo-Mensah a call.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.