T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
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T.J. Hockenson #87 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up.
The Minnesota Vikings kept tight end TJ Hockenson on the team by restructuring his contract, thereby avoiding an outright release of the two-time Pro Bowler, but made an unexpected concession in the process.
Minnesota inked Hockenson two offseasons back to a $66 million contract that spanned four years. And while the team was able to convince Hockenson to rework his deal on Saturday, March 7 and accept $5 million less in compensation, he was able to convince the Vikings to drop the final year off the back of that agreement, which will now allow Hockenson to reenter free agency next March.
Tom Pelissero
As part of Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson’s restructured contract, the team agreed to delete the final year of his deal, per sources.
So Hockenson takes a $5 million pay cut that provides Minnesota cap relief, and now gets to be a free agent after this season.
“As part of Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson’s restructured contract, the team agreed to delete the final year of his deal, per sources,” Tom Pelissero reported to X. “So Hockenson takes a $5 million pay cut that provides Minnesota cap relief, and now gets to be a free agent after this season.”
TJ Hockenson Has Struggled With Injuries, Production Over Past 2 Seasons
TJ Hockenson, Vikings
GettyTight end TJ Hockenson of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Vikings could have saved upwards of $9 million by cutting Hockenson, though that would have been a meaningful loss.
He had a down year in 2025, putting up 51 catches for 438 receiving yards and three scores across 15 games played. Hockenson dealt with injury issues the season prior, appearing in 10 contests and producing 41 receptions for 455 yards and did not find the end zone.
Despite his health and subsequent production concerns, Hockenson is by far the best pass-catching tight end on the Vikings’ roster. And his lack of numbers last year was due, in part, because of quarterback issues.
The coaching staff also asked Hockenson to stay in and block on passing downs more frequently than he ever had in his career to help negate poor offensive line play attributable to injury issues across the unit.
Hockenson will play next season at 29 years of age before getting a crack at a new deal in free agency, rendering 2026 a contract year for the tight end.
Kyler Murray Could Play Part in Career Bounce Back for TJ Hockenson in 2026
GettyQuarterback Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals.
Minnesota’s restructure of Hockenson’s deal, as well as a handful of difficult cuts and center Ryan Kelly’s retirement, took the Vikings from upwards of $47 million over the salary cap to $30 million of space to spend this month.
“A more manageable amount of cap space for the #Vikings as Monday’s free agency negotiating window approaches,” the VikingzFanPage captioned a social media graphic indicating that the team will enter free agency with $30 million in cap space.
That should mean better quarterback play for Hockenson and the rest of the offense next season, potentially in the form of Arizona Cardinals signal-caller Kyler Murray. The Cardinals intend to release Murray and will pay him $36 million in 2026 to play elsewhere.
Because of that, Murray will almost certainly be available to the Vikings at the veteran’s league minimum salary of $1.3 million. That would mean a significant QB upgrade over JJ McCarthy at the lowest price possible, which is an ideal outcome for Minnesota.
That outcome, coupled with a healthy offensive line and a contract year’s worth of motivation, could result in a renaissance year for Hockenson as the Vikings push to make the playoffs for the third time in the last five years.