Vikings Make the Call on T.J. Hockenson’s Future
After months of cap gymnastics and tough roster cuts, the Vikings finally made their decision on one of their most expensive stars. On Saturday, the decision on tight end T.J. Hockenson was made. He was a candidate for either option, but the Vikings opted to keep him around on a changed cap charge.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported on social media, “The Vikings have restructured the contract of tight end T.J. Hockenson, lowering his cap number by $5 million and keeping him in the fold for 2026, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. Rob Brzezinski and team have been busy clearing space and getting the Vikings in a positive spot entering the negotiation window Monday.”
The nasty $46 million deficit is gone and the Vikings are not only cap compliant, but they are also in a position to make moves in free agency. Tight end doesn’t necessarily have to be on the club’s wishlist.
Prior to the restructure, Hockenson was the most cap-expensive tight end in all of football, ahead of star players such as Trey McBride or George Kittle. Hockenson was acquired in 2022 when GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah handed head coach Kevin O’Connell a dynamic tight end for the offense.
Quickly, Hockenson established himself as one of the league’s most productive player at the position. Those numbers, unfortunately, haven’t been sustainable. Hockenson’s significant knee injury in the later stages of the 2023 season has slowed him down.
The top 10 pick from the 2019 Draft has also lost some catching opportunities due to his role in the offense. While he used to be a true receiving tight end, the Vikings frequently used him as a blocker in 2025 to help navigate through the offensive line issues.
In 2025, Hockenson caught only 51 passes for 438 yards and 3 touchdowns, resulting in the worst yards per game he has had in a single season in his seven-year career. At his peak in 2023, he also played 15 games, turning 95 receptions into 960 yards and 5 scores.
Either way, Hockenson has been an instrumental element in O’Connell’s offense, regardless of his usage. He’s now sure to be on the team for another campaign and will continue to be a target for J.J. McCarthy or whoever will get the opportunity to snatch that starting job.
Behind Hockenson, the Vikings still employ blocking specialist Josh Oliver. At TE3, there could be some movement this offseason, but last year’s rookies Ben Yurosek and Gavin Bartholomew, as well as in-season pick-up Ben Sims, are all under contract and could compete for the role.
The Vikings hope Hockenson can return to his pre-injury level and they get another season together to find out whether he can. A release would’ve saved nearly $9 million, but left a dead cap hit of over $12 million.
Hockenson is signed through the 2028 season and avoided the chopping block, unlike teammates Aaron Jones, Jonathan Allen and Javon Hargrave, who couldn’t.
Now healthier and no longer carrying the league’s heaviest cap burden at his position, Hockenson gets a fresh opportunity to prove he’s still one of O’Connell’s most valuable weapons.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.