The Vikings 2021 Season Was Disappointing, but Their New TE1 Wasn’t

Sep 26, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end Tyler Conklin (83) carries the ball during the second quarter against Seattle Seahawks at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The Minnesota Vikings 2021 season was a car crash just about from start to finish. The Dalvin Cook fumble in week one against the Bengals, losses against a Cooper Rush-led Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions, and then the Sean Mannion Sunday night debacle was the cherry on top. It’s led to longing for old days of playoff wins, Twitter fights, and probably a tad too much alcohol consumption. Sometimes all three at the same time.

Of all the disappointing things that have happened over the Vikings 2021 season, someone that cannot be lumped into that group is one Tyler Conklin. Think about where the Vikings were at with the tight end position going into the year. They let Kyle Rudolph walk in free agency. They lost Irv Smith Jr. to an injury in training camp. They made a desperation trade for Chris Herndon. Just for Mr. Conklin to say, “to hell with all that, I’m going to have one of the most productive TE seasons the Vikings have ever seen”.

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Conklin showed some promise in 2020, enough to make him seem like a solid TE2 in the league, but his almost seamless movement into TE1 was a shock. He’s been one of the few consistent presences for Minnesota, starting all 16 games. He’s also recorded 40+ receiving yards in eight of the games and a pair of TD receptions in another.

Conklin has 59 receptions on the year, with a chance this week to become just the fifth Vikings tight end to record 60 receptions. His 587 yards are also more than just two of Kyle Rudolph’s seasons in Minnesota. Of course, Conklin is not the red zone presence nor the blocker that Rudolph was for the Vikings, but man, this is still quite an impressive resume that the young man has put together.

There is also a chance that this is Sunday is the last game Conklin plays for the Vikings. The fourth-year TE hits free agency this offseason, and after a breakout year like the one he’s just had, there will undoubtedly be a free agency market for him. Additionally, the Vikings find themselves deep in the red in terms of the cap.

If Minnesota can play accountant and move some money around though, a combination of Irv Smith and Tyler Conklin at tight end moving forward could be a dynamic duo. The two have shown leaps and bounds of growth over the years, making me excited for a potential 2022 season with both of them.

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