Tyler Conklin Is One Catch Shy of a Significant Milestone
Before this season started, I was confident Tyler Conklin could be a good TE2 and have a steady season as the TE2 behind Irv Smith Jr. was predicted to have a breakout season by just about everyone.
Then, Smith’s season was over before it began due to a knee injury that required surgery. Suddenly, Conklin was thrust into the position of the lead man in the tight end room, and as the season has progressed, he hasn’t received much help from anyone else.
He hasn’t had the season people were hoping Smith Jr. would have. That was never going to happen as he simply isn’t the athletic threat that his teammate is. However, he’s had a good season and proved himself more than capable of playing the role of starting tight end.
With one game left, he only needs one more reception to own 60 receptions for the season. That would only be the sixth time a Vikings player has recorded that number of catches in a season — a feat achieved by only three former Vikings throughout the team’s history. For Tyler Conklin, that’s a significant milestone.
Pro Football Focus ranks him as the 27th-best tight end in the league with an overall grade of 66.6. His receiving grade is 70.7, while his run blocking grade is lower at 53.7.
His 59 catches for 587 yards puts him in 12th-place for tight end receiving yards in the league this season, averaging just under 10 yards a catch. The only disappointment is three touchdowns, the last of which came in a two-score game in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Chargers. After that game, I was confident he would at least double that total before the season’s end. It appears unlikely unless he goes off in the final game.
Irv Smith Jr. will be back next season, and Tyler Conklin is a pending free agent.
So, Conklin’s purple future is unclear at this point. He’s a player who I would personally welcome back next season with open arms if the deal is right. His performances this season have been good enough to make teams across the league take notice. There will be a market for the tight end.
Will the Vikings be in the running to keep him in Minnesota? That could depend on who makes the decisions and what money is available for signings.
Until we get to that point, I hope Tyler Conklin reaches the milestone and finishes what has been a good season. There are not too many Vikings players you can say that about this year.