There hasn’t been much drama on the field during training camp for the Minnesota Vikings but when it comes to contract negotiations, the temperature is just as hot as the August sun.
The Vikings avoided one potential holdout when Danielle Hunter signed a one-year, $20 million contract, but Kwesi Adofo-Mensah still is working on long-term extensions for Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson.
Jefferson has said all the right things as he awaits a deal that will likely make him the highest-paid receiver in NFL history, but Hockenson’s contract has carried some weird vibes as the Vikings get deeper into camp.
The situation began when Hockenson was spotted in pads talking to owner Zygi Wilf during Thursday’s night practice. Things got weirder when Hockenson dressed, but sat out of padded practice on Friday before not dressing and momentarily leaving with a trainer during Saturday’s practice.
Can’t imagine what Zygi Wilf and T.J. Hockenson might be talking about. pic.twitter.com/SvXS6Vx31w
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) August 4, 2023
Since teams are not required to give an injury report until the first week of the regular season, Vikings fans are left to wonder what is going on with their star tight end and whether this has more to do with a potential injury or a potential contract dispute.
Hockenson was acquired along with a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick from the Detroit Lions for a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick last October. After the Lions picked up his fifth-year option worth $9.3 million prior to last season, the Vikings had him under team control through the upcoming season, which led to the assumption the two sides would discuss an extension.
Adofo-Mensah told reporters at the beginning of training camp that the Vikings and Hockenson’s camp have had “great dialogue” regarding a new deal but nothing has materialized even though several extensions have been reached with tight ends over the past several weeks.
Evan Engram’s three-year, $41.25 million extension with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cole Kmet’s four-year, $50 million extension seemed to set the bar for Hockenson’s new deal but he could be asking for more after catching 86 passes for 914 yards and six touchdowns last season.
More specifically, Hockenson’s usage increased upon his arrival in Minnesota when he caught 60 passes for 519 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games. If we project Hockenson’s numbers in Minnesota over a full season, it would give him 102 catches for 882 yards and five touchdowns.
This would put him on par with some of the best tight ends in the league including George Kittle (60 catches, 795 yards, 11 TD) and Travis Kelce (110 catches, 1,338 yards, 12 TD) and make things expensive.
Kittle is signed with the San Francisco 49ers through the 2025 season but has no guaranteed money remaining on the five-year, $75 million extension he signed prior to the 2020 season.
Kelce is in a similar situation as he has no guaranteed money remaining on the four-year, $57.25 million extension after last season but he could also give the Chiefs a discount as he enters his age-35 season.
While Kittle and Kelce have both downplayed the possibility of a new contract, the fact they could get paid and reset the market would encourage Hockenson to play out a full year in the Vikings’ system and cash in next spring.
But if that’s the case, Hockenson would be wise to hit the practice field in preparation to show his worth. The fact Hockenson isn’t practicing could either be the result of a “hold-in” or a legitimate injury.
The Vikings signed Josh Oliver to add depth to the tight-end room this season but he was signed more to be a blocker than a go-to weapon in the passing game like Hockenson. Ben Ellefson’s sudden retirement also dealt the tight end room blow, leaving the Vikings with Johnny Mundt and Nick Muse as the other tight ends on the roster.
Whatever the case, this is the NFL in August where the Vikings are trying to plan for the present but lock their core up for the future. Although Hockenson would like to get paid, Adofo-Mensah has yet to deal out his first extension in Minnesota, which could lead to an interesting storyline as training camp continues.
