ESPN Puts Surprising Name on Chopping Block for Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings will be forced to execute tough roster cuts in the next two months, needing to become compliant with the NFL salary cap while currently over budget by $30-$40 million. Accordingly, one voice at ESPN claims Minnesota will release tight end T.J. Hockenson.
Moving on from Hockenson would force the Vikings to replace veteran production with cheaper alternatives.
Hockenson joined the Vikings via trade in 2022, and if Aaron Schatz has this prediction right, Minnesota will need a new tight end.
ESPN Cap Casualty Idea Would Force T.J. Hockenson Out of Minnesota
Hockenson as a cap casualty is the latest theory from ESPN.
Hockenson on the Chopping Block?
In a lengthy piece that covers every team’s impending offseason, Schatz weighed in on the Vikings’ scenarios.
He wrote, “Big prediction for the offseason: With little cap space, the Vikings will say goodbye to tight end T.J. Hockenson, who has had injury issues and is coming off two straight years with fewer than 500 receiving yards.”
“He was tied for 33rd among tight ends in ESPN’s receiver scores through Week 17. Cutting Hockenson would save the Vikings nearly $9 million in cap space before June 1 and $16 million if designated after June 1.”
Minnesota extended Hockenson’s contract in the summer of 2023, and based on the deal’s structure, the here and now — the 2026 offseason — was always considered a financial inflection point built in by the team. And per Schatz, Hockenson is evidently on his way out.
A Redefinition of His Role in 2025
Hockenson finished the 2025 campaign with 51 receptions for 438 yards and 3 touchdowns, miniature compared to his peak standards. The Vikings fielded inferior quarterback play from J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer, which did not help Hockenson’s cause, or any pass-catcher, for that matter.
Instead, because the Vikings’ offensive line endured so many injuries, the coaching staff often used Hockenson as a pass-blocking and run-blocking commodity, with head coach Kevin O’Connell even acknowledging in the middle of the season that Hockenson’s role had changed.
Christian Darrisaw returned early in the season from a torn ACL, though something was never quite right about him. To help the rest of the offensive line and make up for Darrisaw’s lost time, O’Connell often used Hockenson as a sixth lineman, which led fans to think, “Well, Hockenson just isn’t good anymore.”
Deep down, there’s still a productive tight end living in Hockenson. He’s only 28 years old. If Minnesota cuts him per Schatz’s prediction, he might want to find a team that uses him more as a pass-catcher than a blocker.
The Viking Age‘s Brad Berreman on Hockenson’s upcoming offseason: “Hockenson also missed the last two games of this season due to a shoulder injury. Over his last 25 games, as his Vikings’ tenure can currently be split into equal increments, he has 92 receptions for 893 yards and three touchdowns. Hockenson’s drop in production this season was primarily the product of an altered role, and not all his fault.”
“But it’s hard to justify a $21.35 million cap hit for 2026, and deeper metrics like the one Schatz cited are not kind to him as he now moves toward his age-29 season. As the Vikings look for ways to save cap dollars, Hockenson stands out as a potential offseason cut. While a post-June 1 designation would be far better from a cap savings and dead money standpoint, the move to part ways feels inevitable.”
Replacements from Free Agency
Foremost, if Hockenson leaves the Twin Cities, Minnesota will have these tight ends in its roster orbit:
- Josh Oliver
- Ben Yurosek
- Gavin Bartholomew
None of those option profiles as a true TE1, so O’Connell would need a dependable Hockenson replacement.
These men are scheduled to be available in free agency, although it’s unclear if the Vikings will have loads of cash to spend on tight ends if they’re getting rid of one:
- Tyler Conklin
- Kyle Granson
- Noah Fant
- Tyler Higbee
- Austin Hooper
- Dallas Goedert
- Isaiah Likely
- David Njoku
- Chig Okonkwo
- Cade Otton
- Kyle Pitts
- Jake Tonges
Vikings fans have already identified Likely of the Baltimore Ravens as their guy, mainly because of his big-catch ability in clutch moments.
Draft Options
And then there’s the draft. Minnesota has eight picks on the menu, with the total probably growing to at least nine. An extra pick is on the way as fruit of Sam Darnold’s free agency departure. That compensatory pick is expected to check in as a 3rd-Rounder.
In the draft, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could target one of these tight ends, with the goal of making him a TE1 sooner rather than later:
- Kenyon Sadiq (Oregon, R1)
- Max Klare (Ohio State, R3)
- Joe Royer (Cincinnati, R3)
- Michael Trigg (Baylor, R4)
- Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt, R4)
- Jamari Johnson (Oregon, R4)
Note that round projections are merely estimates as of January 2025. Those could fluctuate mightily between now and April.
Hockenson will turn 29 in July.
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