Vikings Could Add Former 1st-Rounder after Surprise Cut
For the first time in a while, the Minnesota Vikings have suspect depth at the tight end position.
A wild roster cut has made a former 1st-round pick available, and the Vikings could be a logical destination. Here’s why the freshly released playmaker may be doable.
TE3 Johnny Mundt left Minnesota to sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars in March, joining former Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens and quarterback assistant coach Grant Udinski in Florida.
Minnesota might be fine at tight end, but if it wishes to hedge its bet on roster depth, well, veteran Noah Fant is on the open market.
If the Vikings Want an Extra TE, Look No Further than Free Agency
Noah Fant is a common-sense TE3 option for the purple team.
Seahawks Cut Ties with TE Noah Fant
It’s the end of the road for Fant in Seattle after three seasons.
NBC Sports‘ Charean Williams wrote Sunday, “The Seahawks released veteran tight end Noah Fant on Sunday, the team announced. He was due a non-guaranteed salary of $8.49 million this season and the move saves $8.91 million against the salary cap.”
“Fant, 27, spent the past three seasons with the Seahawks after being acquired in the 2022 trade that sent Russell Wilson to Denver. He appeared in 48 games, starting 42, and made 130 receptions for 1,400 yards and five touchdowns in his time in Seattle.”
The once-promising playmaker is now available for 31 teams to sign.
Reason No. 1 for Vikings: Gavin Bartholomew on PUP List
Why would Fant make sense for Minnesota? For starters, the Vikings revealed the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list this week, and rookie tight end Gavin Bartholomew, along with rookie EDGE rusher Chaz Chambliss, were designated.
Bartholomew’s return timetable is unclear, and if his absence bleeds into the regular season, head coach Kevin O’Connell would have to explore a TE3 option such as Ben Yurosek and Bryson Nesbit, two undrafted free agents.
Otherwise, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could sign a veteran tight end. And guess who’s suddenly the top tight end on the market? Fant.
Keep an eye on Bartholomew’s status, although a team may sign Fant before Bartholomew’s verdict.
Reason No 2: TE Depth
Meanwhile, even if Bartholomew heals quickly and hops off the PUP list, Fant would still represent a noteworthy upgrade. Fant is more talented than Bartholomew, at least via comparing skill sets on paper, and this Vikings squad has Super Bowl aspirations.
Signing players and getting deep at every position is what Super Bowl teams do. The Philadelphia Eagles can tell you all about it.
Put plainly. Fant is more productive than any tight end on Minnesota’s roster not named T.J. Hockenson or Josh Oliver.
Fant Already Targeted by Bengals
There’s a decent chance that this Vikings-themed pipe dream dies this week.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweeted Wednesday, “Sources: The Bengals will host former Seahawks TE Noah Fant on a visit tomorrow. Still only 27 years old, the former first-round pick could add another pass-catching weapon to Joe Burrow’s arsenal in Cincinnati.”
Cincinnati has long struggled to find a sweet tight end in Joe Burrow’s offense. Fant might do the trick, and the Bengals’ need for a tight end is more urgent than Minnesota’s. Stay tuned.
PurplePTSD on Fant
Janik Eckardt at our partner site, PurplePTSD.com, opined on the idea of Fant to Minnesota: “The former 20th overall pick of the Denver Broncos hasn’t quite lived up to the draft hype with stints in Denver and Seattle, but he’s had six solid seasons at the pro level, collecting over 400 yards in each. He eclipsed 500 yards four times and 600 yards twice. For him, the timing couldn’t be much worse, as most rosters are set and nobody really needs a new TE1.”
“A backup and rotational role is the most likely outcome for Fant, especially in a prove-it fashion with a short-term contract. It remains to be seen if Fant is ready for a depth role like that. The Vikings are a team that heavily features sets with two tight ends, and their current lineup features blocking specialist Josh Oliver either next to Hockenson or with someone else on obvious running downs.”
Hockenson and Fant were teammates at the University of Iowa.
Eckardt added, “That someone else, however, is in Jacksonville. The other candidates for the TE3 job are rookies Ben Yurosek and Gavin Bartholomew. Sixth-rounder Bartholomew should be viewed as the front-runner due to his draft pedigree. The Vikings already have a scary wideout duo of Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and they have a new running back duo with Jordan Mason supporting Aaron Jones.”
“It’s a long shot, of course, as someone might have a bigger role for Fant, but it’s fun to think about, regardless. Rebuilding Iowa’s tight end tandem is a fun thought.”
If the Bengals don’t lock down Fant, it’s worth a phone call by the Vikings to Fant’s agent.
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