The Minnesota Vikings have a lot to figure out this offseason.
That includes deciding what they want to do with T.J. Hockenson, the talented but aging tight end.
Hockenson's contract is a bit of an albatross, and Bleacher Report's Brad Gagnon wrote Friday that it makes Hockenson a cut candidate.
"His $21.4 million 2026 cap hit is the highest at the tight end position," Gagnon writes. "The Vikings are in a bad cap situation but can immediately save nearly $9 million by parting ways with Hockenson."
The Vikings have pretty much no great way to keep Hockenson without at least changing his contract up.
"Because the Vikings are already paying Justin Jefferson huge bucks, they may decide to move on from either Hockenson or Jordan Addison this offseason," Gagnon writes. "At the very least, I'd expect them to require Hockenson to restructure his deal if he wants to stick around. But because they'd be taking a weapon away while fancying themselves a contender, an outright release would surprise the football world."
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It'd be a different equation if Hockenson was still at his peak. He's not.
"The veteran averaged a career-low 6.6 yards per target during an unproductive 2025 campaign," Gagnon writes. "He has scored just three touchdowns since the start of the 2024 season and will turn 29 this summer."
The other reality here is that the Vikings have to figure out the quarterback position. That's way more crucial than tight end.
So they don't need to waste too much time figuring out Hockenson's future. They've just got to make a call and move on so they can worry about the most important position in sports.
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