The Minnesota Vikings have one of the best tight ends in the NFL in T.J. Hockenson, but you wouldn’t necessarily know it by watching the team play this season.
Hockenson has caught 19 passes for 153 yards and one touchdown through five contests this year, which extrapolates out to 65 catches for 520 yards and three scores over a 17-game season. For context, he produced 95 catches for 960 yards and five TDs across 15 games played in 2023 and 86 receptions for 914 yards and six scores over 17 games in 2022 — the last two years in which he was relatively healthy.
So why is the two-time Pro Bowler not playing up to his top-of-the-league standard? Head coach Kevin O’Connell set the record straight during the team’s bye week.
“We’re asking a lot of him right now that doesn’t necessarily coincide with him being one of the best route-running tight ends in the NFL,” O’Connell said during a press conference on October 6. “There’s some sacrifice going on all across our football team to do whatever is required to win one game. And that mentality can be a powerful thing as we inevitably start to get some guys back.”
Vikings’ Offensive Line Injuries Have Led to T.J. Hockenson Blocking More
GettyCenter Ryan Kelly of the Minnesota Vikings.
Hockenson has stayed in to block more frequently than in past years, which is part of the sacrifice of which O’Connell spoke.
That might sound a bit counterintuitive given that Jordan Addison, the team’s second-best wide receiver, missed the first three games of the year due to an NFL suspension, as common logic would dictate that Hockenson should have been more of a focus in the pass game and not less.
However, Minnesota has had a nightmare season with regards to injuries along the offensive line. The team still has yet to play a single snap with all five intended starters on the field together, which is why the early bye week in 2025 couldn’t have come at a better time.
However, the group still won’t be whole when the Vikings return to the field in Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles, as center Ryan Kelly is on IR after suffering two concussions through the first four games.
Minnesota has surrendered a league-high 21 sacks through five weeks as a result, which explains why Hockenson has remained in to block more than ever before in his career.
Vikings Have Had Volatile Season at QB Position Through 5 Games
GettyMinnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz.
The quarterback situation also likely has something to do with Hockenson’s dip in production this season.
J.J. McCarthy started the first two games of his NFL tenure in Weeks 1 and 2, didn’t play particularly well, and then suffered a high ankle sprain that has sidelined him since.
Carson Wentz has stepped in for the last three games and averaged a little over 250 yards passing per game, though almost half of his total air yards came against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 4, so the production hasn’t been close to evenly spaced out.
Hockenson’s numbers should see a relative increase as the offensive line returns to full health and the quarterback position becomes more consistent and established.
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