Vikings Signing Former Packers TE Robert Tonyan

The Vikings are signing former Packers and Bears tight end Robert Tonyan, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 30-year-old worked out for Minnesota this week and now joins their loaded TE room ahead of the start of OTAs.

Tonyan has now technically spent time with every team in the NFC North. He signed with the Lions as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana State in 2017, but was released before the season began. He then signed with the Packers' practice squad later that year. Tonyan made his regular season debut with Green Bay in 2018 and spent five full seasons with them, appearing in 72 games (including playoffs) and starting 18 of them. His most productive season came in 2020, when he had 586 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches. He also caught a TD pass in the postseason that year.

Last offseason, the 6'5" Tonyan signed a one-year deal with the Bears. He appeared in all 17 games but had just 11 catches for 112 yards, also appearing plenty on special teams. Now he's joining the Vikings to complete the divisional cycle.

The Vikings' tight end room is pretty crowded. Pro Bowler T.J. Hockenson is still recovering from ACL surgery and is unexpected to be ready for the start of the regular season, which is why adding Tonyan makes some sense. The room also includes Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, recent addition Sammis Reyes, and rookie Trey Knox. Tonyan, whose 148 career receptions are easily more than the rest of that group combined (obviously excluding Hockenson), will look to make the roster and potentially beat out Mundt for a significant pass-catching role in Hockenson's absence.

The Vikings' corresponding roster move was to waive undrafted rookie linebacker Donovan Manuel, the team announced.

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