New Vikings Tight End Reached New Weight Benchmark
The annual mandatory minicamp has brought some lovely storylines out of Minnesota; the plots around star receiver Justin Jefferson are the most notable. He signed his long-awaited second contract with the Vikings that will pay him $140 million in four seasons, equalling a record pay for a non-quarterback of $35 million per season. Another development includes a former wide receiver.
New Vikings Tight End Reached New Weight Benchmark
On Tuesday, rumblings out of Minnesota’s headquarters in Eagan surfaced that former first-round receiver N’Keal Harry is switching positions. The first report from ESPN’s beat writer Kevin Seifert suggested that the ex-Patriots bust drilled with tight ends, not the wideouts.
The Vikings have some holes at either spot, especially with T.J. Hockenson perhaps unavailable for a few games. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has recently signed Robert Tonyan, once a favored target for Aaron Rodgers with the Packers. The Vikings already employ blocking specialist Josh Oliver and reliable veteran Johnny Mundt, who showed his skill set in the final two contests sans Hockenson.
Transitioning from receiver to tight end works in theory but rarely actually does. Harry is already 26 years old and has been in the NFL for five seasons. In addition to learning the knacks of tight end play, he must transform his body to sustain blocks in the running game. Gaining weight is required. The good news is that Harry has been doing just that.
Seifert tweeted on Wednesday: “N’Keal Harry said he added about 10 lbs. this offseason to prep for work at tight end. Ended 2023 at 230 lbs., he said, so now he’s 240. Had heard “whispers” during his career about moving to tight end, but the Vikings were the first team to broach it with him.”
While the listed weights are never entirely accurate, Harry’s 240 lbs top Mundt’s official weight and tie undrafted rookie Trey Knox and newcomer Tonyan.
The Vikings have a bunch of tight ends on the roster, leading to a quite interesting battle in training camp. If Hockenson is out, there will be room for three (maybe four) tight ends on the 53-man roster. One of those spots will undoubtedly go to Oliver, who the front office invested an expensive contract into.
Behind him, Mundt should be considered the frontrunner, considering the praise he has earned over the years and his production in place of Hockenson. 2022 seventh-rounder Nick Muse will compete with Knox, Harry, Tonyan, and international pathway player Sammis Reyes.
Through five seasons, former first-rounder Harry has been a part of three teams and played 49 games (18 starts). He has registered 64 receptions for 714 yards and five touchdowns. In his lone season with the Vikings, he played only 23 snaps on offense and 49 with the special teams group.
The Vikings hope to revive his career by moving him to another position. He has been a capable blocker and is fairly athletic for a tight end. The new role might suit him better, and it remains an item to watch for the remainder of the offseason, training camp, and the preseason.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and Classic rock is his music genre of choice. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt
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