Report: Extension Talks Between Vikings, T.J. Hockenson Are Underway
In this story:
The Vikings' most notable extension candidate this offseason is superstar wide receiver Justin Jefferson, the reigning offensive player of the year in the NFL. But don't forget about their other top pass-catcher, tight end T.J. Hockenson, who may also be in line for an extension. As of now, he's headed into the final year of his rookie contract (the fifth-year option that was picked up by his previous team).
Extension talks between the Vikings and Hockenson have begun, according to insider Darren Wolfson on SKOR North's scoops show.
"The Hockenson extension talks are off the ground," Wolfson said. "I don't think it's imminent or anything like that, but I still think it eventually happens."
Acquired in a midseason trade with the Lions after Irv Smith Jr. got injured, Hockenson fit brilliantly with the Vikings. He caught nine passes for 70 yards in a win over the Commanders just days after landing in Minnesota for the first time — and didn't look back from there. Hockenson was particularly outstanding in two games against the Giants, going for 13/109/2 in the Vikings' Christmas Eve victory and catching 10 passes for 129 yards in their playoff loss.
Including the postseason, Hockenson finished with 70 catches for 648 yards in 11 games with the Vikings. That's a 1,000-yard pace across a full 17 games. And Hockenson's outlook for 2023 may be even brighter than that. Not only will he have a full offseason in Kevin O'Connell's offense, he should have an even larger target share now that Adam Thielen is no longer around.
"He's a really good football player," Kirk Cousins said after the season-ending loss in the wild card round. "In this offense, in this system, the Y, the tight end, will always — especially someone of T.J.'s ability — will always have a big role. We're grateful to have a guy who's that capable, and we're going to give him a lot of opportunities."
It'll be interesting to see what a Hockenson extension will look like, assuming it does get worked out this offseason. He's set to have a $9.4 million cap hit in 2023, thanks to the fifth-year option. The current top average annual value among tight ends belongs to new Giants TE Darren Waller at $17 million, with George Kittle, Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, and Mark Andrews all in the $14-15 million range. Given that Hockenson turns 26 this summer and has been highly productive, his camp may be looking for a deal with a higher AAV than Waller's.
Will the Vikings be open to giving Hockenson a market-setting deal? He's a crucially important part of their offense, but they do also need to extend Jefferson. Minnesota could potentially franchise tag Hockenson in 2024 if nothing gets worked out this offseason, so that gives them a bit of leverage. Still, one assumes that they'll want to take care of Hockenson and ensure that he's a part of their offense for many years to come.
Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long. Also, follow me on Twitter and feel free to ask me any questions on there.
