A day after the Green Bay Packers poached a Minnesota Vikings tight end off of waivers, the Vikings made sure to secure a star at the position for the long term in Minnesota.
The Vikings have an embarrassment of riches at pass-catching positions for quarterback Kirk Cousins to throw the ball to this season. The Vikings had so many elite options there to start training camp this year that they released two former first-round wide receivers, N’Keal Harry and Jalen Reagor, over the past week.
The Minnesota Vikings extend T.J. Hockenson before Justin Jefferson
The Vikings made sure to keep a stud tight end to complement rookie wide receiver Jordan Addison and All-Pro Justin Jefferson. According to Tom Pelissero with the NFL Network, the Vikings and T.J. Hockenson agreed to a new deal Thursday that will make the two-time Pro Bowl tight end one of the league’s highest-paid at his position.
The #Vikings and T.J. Hockenson agreed to terms on a contract extension that makes him one of the NFL’s highest-paid tight ends, sources tell me and @RapSheet.
Acquired from Detroit last fall, Hockenson has flourished in Minnesota. Now sticking around for the long haul. pic.twitter.com/U1UUPOdxEM
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 31, 2023
The Green Bay Packers tried to trade for Hockenson
The Vikings traded for Hockenson before the deadline last season. The Packers inquired about a potential trade for Hockenson but could not beat the offer the Vikings made the Detroit Lions for Hockenson–a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick.
The Vikings have been preparing for big offensive contracts this offseason. The team released running back Dalvin Cook in a bid to save cash as they prep their books to extend Jefferson in the future. Jefferson and the Vikings have not agreed to a long-term deal, but that could happen sooner rather than later.
The Vikings must decide what to do at the quarterback position this offseason. Some are speculating the team could part ways with Cousins. If the Vikings can extend Jefferson after locking up Hockenson, the next quarterback in Minnesota should inherit a good situation if Addison lives up to his first-round billing.
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