The Minnesota Vikings‘ signing of tight end Robert Tonyan on May 16 marks the second player at the position they’ve signed this week — signaling that Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson may be bound to miss significant time in the regular season while recovering from knee surgery.
The arrival of Tonyan and Sammie Reyes, signed on May 13, gives the Vikings seven tight ends entering training camp. Four tight ends made the Vikings’ initial 53-man roster after training camp last year — a number they’ll have to include Hockenson in whether he is ready to play Week 1 or not.
Hockenson will take up a spot on the initial 53-man roster but could be placed on the injured reserve (IR) of physically unable to perform (PUP) lists and be forced to miss at least four games from the start of the season. He was vital to the Vikings offense last season, catching 95 passes for 960 yards receiving and five touchdowns after signing a four-year, $68.5 million extension.
Reyes, an uber-athlete who came out of retirement to join the Vikings, wasn’t likely to challenge Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt or Nick Muse for their roster spots — but Tonyan is a different story.
The former Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears tight end has had a productive career after going undrafted in 2017 and has chemistry with running back Aaron Jones, who the Vikings signed in March.
Tonyan could make a serious case to make the final roster. Meanwhile, undrafted rookie Trey Knox will be a candidate for the practice squad in his first year as a pro.
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