Tight end Robert Tonyan, signed by the Minnesota Vikings on May 16, is the second player at this position that the team has added this week. This suggests that Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson will likely miss a large amount of the regular season recovering from knee surgery.
The Vikings will have seven tight ends in training camp after signing Tonyan and Sammie Reyes on May 13. After training camp last year, the Vikings decided to carry four tight ends on their original 53-man roster. Hockenson will need to be included in this group regardless of his readiness to play in Week 1.
Hockenson will be included on the original 53-man roster, but he may be forced to miss at least four games from the beginning of the season if he is placed on the injured reserve (IR) or physically unable to perform (PUP) lists. After agreeing to a four-year, $68.5 million agreement, he was a key component of the Vikings offense last season, catching 95 catches for 960 yards receiving and five touchdowns.
Tonyan is a different tale. Reyes, Rivera incredibly gifted athlete who came out of retirement to join the Vikings, wasn’t expected to challenge Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, or Nick Muse for their roster slots.
After going undrafted in 2017, the former tight end for the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears has enjoyed a successful career. He has a good rapport with running back Aaron Jones, who the Vikings signed in March.
Tonyan has a strong chance of making the starting lineup. In the meanwhile, Trey Knox, an undrafted rookie, will likely compete for a spot on the practice squad during his rookie season.
