Vikings Add a New Veteran to the Mix on Offense
The Minnesota Vikings signed a third new player in the last six days to the 90-man summer roster on Monday, preparing for the grind of the preseason, which officially begins on Saturday against the Houston Texans.
The Vikings added a new veteran to their offensive unit as they prepare for the 2025 campaign. The move comes with the preseason just five days away on the calendar.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah made tight end Nick Vannett the latest Viking, a man with an extensive NFL résumé that screams journeyman.
Vannett will now vie for a 53-man roster spot.
Another Tight End for Minnesota
In the last week, Adofo-Mensah has signed safety Gervarrius Owens, tackle Matt Nelson, and Vannett.
Vikings Sign TE Nick Vannett
Craig Peters of Vikings.com announced the deal: “The Vikings on Monday added a veteran tight end to the locker room. Minnesota announced the signing of Nick Vannett, who is entering his 10th NFL season. Vannett first entered the NFL as a 2016 third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks out of Ohio State. He has played for the Seahawks, Steelers, Broncos, Saints, Giants, Chargers and Titans, totaling 53 starts in 111 regular-season games.”
“Vannett joins the Vikings with 108 catches, 1,012 yards and nine scores on his résumé, including 17 receptions for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 20 targets last year in Tennessee.”
Until Monday, rookie TE Ben Yurosek had trended to make the regular season roster as TE3, but Vannett in the house pumps the brakes on that theory just a smidgen.
Nick Vannett’s Background
Once known as “Baby Gronk,” Vannett has ample NFL experience — one of the thickest TE résumés imaginable. He tabulated 135 receiving yards with the Tennessee Titans last year, and before that, his most productive season occurred in 2018 with the Seattle Seahawks (269 receiving yards).
To put it plainly, Vannett is a quintessential TE3 or TE4. Nothing more. Here’s his NFL résumé by team and year since the Ohio State days:
- Seattle Seahawks (2016–2019)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (2019)
- Denver Broncos (2020)
- New Orleans Saints (2021–2022)
- New York Giants (2022)
- Houston Texans (2023)
- Los Angeles Chargers (2023)
- Tennessee Titans (2024)
- Minnesota Vikings (2025-present)
The man is all about his pit stops.
The Updated TE Room
Here’s the new pecking order at TE with Vannett in the mix:
— T.J. Hockenson
— Josh Oliver
— Ben Yurosek
— Nick Vannett
— Gavin Bartholomew (PUP)
— Bryson Nesbit
— Giovanni Ricci
When the team reveals its active roster in three weeks, it will likely keep three tight ends, possibly four, meaning Vannett must score the upset over Yurosek or Bartholomew. He could also be a practice squad candidate in September and beyond.
Preseason Depth
Last weekend at Vikings training camp, Hockenson appeared to tweak his groin, and with Bartholomew already on the Physically Unable to Perform list, Minnesota evidently needs TE bodies for three preseason games. Adding a journeyman like Vannett at this juncture is not uncommon.
It’s also worth noting that Hockenson wouldn’t play in the preseason, even without the groin matter — head coach Kevin O’Connell rarely plays starters in exhibition contests — and with Bartholomew on the shelf, the Vikings merely need bodies. Therefore, if you’re curious about Vannett in the flesh, his chances of playing in the preseason are quite high.
PPTSD on the Transaction
At PurplePTSD.com, an affiliate of VikingsTerritory, Janik Eckardt noted on Vannett, “In 2019, the final year of his rookie contract, Vannett was traded to Pittsburgh in exchange for a fifth-round pick. He then spent one season with the Broncos in the following year, and nearly two seasons with the Saints, but New Orleans said “goodbye” late in the 2022 campaign.”
“The remainder of the season, Vannett played for the New York Giants, where he also participated in the Vikings’ elimination with the unstoppable offense (at least for the Vikings) led by Daniel Jones.”
Vannett could see action as soon as this Saturday against the Texans.
“Vannett didn’t make the Texans’ roster in 2023, but the Chargers picked him up. Finally, he played in all 17 games (ten starts) for the Titans last year. Throughout his NFL career, Vannett has played in 111 games (53 starts) and caught 108 passes for 1,012 yards and nine touchdowns,” Eckardt continued.
“He has seen game action with seven different organizations and hopes the Vikings will be his eighth. Vannett is not the most prolific player, but he can compete for the vacated TE3 spot behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver, especially with Bartholomew out. His top competition seems to be undrafted rookie Ben Yurosek.”
Vannett was born in Westerville, Ohio. He won a National Championship in 2015 — the Urban Meyer-led team that featured Cardale Jones, Ezekiel Elliott, Michael Thomas, and Joey Bosa, among others.
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