Turns Out the Vikings Won the Big Trade a Few Years Ago
In 2022, the Minnesota Vikings fired off a somewhat shocking trade for tight end T.J. Hockenson with the Detroit Lions. Three years later, according to ESPN, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah “won” the trade.
In 2022, the Vikings acquired tight end T.J. Hockenson from the Detroit Lions, and three years later, a verdict has been rendered on the swap.
That’s the latest from ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, who sized up all major trades from the 2022 and 2023 campaigns this week.
Vikings Trade for T.J. Hockenson? Advantage: Vikings.
Barnwell gave a “slight” edge to Minnesota this week in his analysis.
ESPN Rules in Favor of Vikings for T.J. Hockenson Trade
From the deal in 2022, the Vikings received Hockenson, along with the draft pick that fetched safety Jay Ward and small tidbits of draft capital for the trades necessary to land J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner.
Detroit flipped its section of the swap into quarterback Hendon Hooker and defensive tackle Brodric Martin.
Barnwell wrote, “At the time: This was a calculated bet from the Vikings, who were adding a second option behind Justin Jefferson at a TE position where the top salaries lagged behind their counterparts at wide receiver. Hockenson was in the middle of a career year with the Lions, and there was hope that the 2019 eighth pick might hit new heights after leaving a frustrating situation in Detroit.”
“A Lions team that had started 4-19-1 under Dan Campbell didn’t seem close to contending. What happened: The Lions have been one of the best teams in the NFL since that move, and they ably replaced Hockenson with second-round pick Sam LaPorta, although the picks they got as part of this deal didn’t pan out into regular contributors. Would the Lions have traded Hockenson if they knew they were about to get white-hot in the second half of 2022 and become one of the best teams in the league in 2023?”
Hockenson remains Minnesota’s TE1, and in fact, contributed mightily to Minnesota’s win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 3.
“Hockenson posted career-high receiving totals in 2022 and then again in 2023, but those were more a product of running more routes than becoming more efficient. The two-time Pro Bowler had his 2023 season sidelined by a torn ACL and hasn’t looked quite as explosive since returning halfway through the 2024 campaign,” Barnwell added.
“Even with that being true, the Vikings did get meaningful production out of him in 2022 and 2023, and there’s a lot of time in 2025 for Hockenson to turn things around. Verdict: Slight win for the Vikings.”
Swing and a Miss on Hendon Hooker and Brodric Martin
Hendon Hooker no longer works for the Lions. He’s a member of the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad, as Detroit kicked him out amid roster cuts last month. Hooker emphatically didn’t pan out for the Lions, a 3nd-Round swing and a miss.
Brodric Martin? He doesn’t work for the Lions anymore, either. He’s on the Kansas City Chiefs‘ practice squad and hasn’t seen the regular season field in 2025.
Therefore, it’s two players extracted by Detroit from the Hockenson trade, and neither is on the team.
Hot Take: The Vikings Won Overwhelmingly
For Barnwell to classify the trade verdict as a “slight win” for the Vikings is borderline preposterous. It should be an overwhelming tip of the cap to Minnesota.
The Vikings have Hockenson on their roster as the TE1. Jay Ward is a fine backup safety. And Adofo-Mensah was able to land McCarthy and Turner with crumbs of the trade.
Per players and picks exchanged in the deal, the Vikings decisively won the trade.
Hockenson + Ward > Hooker + Martin. Even Lions faithful know the trade was lousy.
Sam LaPorta Evidently the Saving Grace
The only caveat might be the Lions’ ability to promote Sam LaPorta to TE1 for cheap, while Hockenson secured a large deal in Minnesota. LaPorta is a Top 5 NFL tight end, and Hockenson is arguably Top 7. LaPorta will be cheap for a while on his rookie contract; Hockenson is not cheap.
But that factoid is a small part of the actual trade. Per spoils, Adofo-Mensah took Brad Holmes to the cleaners, mainly because Holmes struck out — and then some — on Hooker and Martin.
Barnwell on the Deshaun Watson Trade
Of course, the Deshaun Watson trade to Cleveland is the worst of the last decade and maybe ever.
Barnwell on that swap: “What happened: It’s arguably the worst trade in NFL history. Watson has been a disaster on the field for the Browns, missed significant time with shoulder and Achilles injuries, and will likely collect $92 million from the Browns through the end of the 2026 season without ever playing for the team again.”
“The Texans didn’t nail all their picks, and they mitigated some of the impact by using a lot of the picks they acquired in a series of trades up the draft board. But avoiding the Watson megadeal and using the move to stock the roster with cost-controlled talent was a huge success, even if the organization had to endure a couple of lean seasons in the process. In hindsight: Unquestioned win for the Texans.”
Hockenson is under contract with the Vikings through the end of 2027.
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