The Minnesota Vikings are in an interesting position at tight end going into free agency. They theoretically are set with T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver as the top two tight ends in the room. However, that is murky for 2024 with the torn ACL suffered on Christmas Eve by Hockenson since he didn’t have surgery to repair the injury until the end of January.
What should the Vikings do at the position? If they plan on redshirting Hockenson, would they end up signing a bridge player to get them through 2024? Do they choose to bring back Johnny Mundt and ride with the three guys in the room?
With how general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has pursued things so far, a bridge tight end makes a lot of sense. Here are seven different tight ends that could fit the bill and be that bridge player.
Hunter Henry
Henry would be an interesting fit for the Vikings. He is build just like Hockenson but is more of a red-zone threat than one you want to use to attack down the field. As a locker, he is very similar to Hockenson. He’s capable, but now on the wrong side of 30. A one-year deal could make some sense but Henry wouldn’t run the option routes Hockenson did with the same efficiency.
Dalton Schultz
Schultz was viewed as one of the best tight ends on the free agent market last year but he didn’t get the contract he wanted on a long-term basis. He ended up signing a one-year, $6.25 million deal and played well for the Texans. He does have some drop issues and isn’t a great blocker, but Schultz is a very good pass catcher and could be a good fill in for Hockenson. The one issue is that Schultz might be expensive.
Gerald Everett
Everett is a fascinating player. He was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round of the 2017 draft but it took a minute to develop. He played well for the Chargers over the last couple of seasons as both a field stretcher and a quick game receiver. Of the top options, Everett is likely to come at a good value price, as his last deal was worth $6 million/year.
Mike Gesicki
The Dolphins were more than happy to let Gesicki walk due to his inability to be an effective blocker. However, Gesicki is an impressive threat down the seams and on a vertical plane. Would Kevin O’Connell be okay with him being a one-trick pony and having Oliver be the sole blocker?
Noah Fant
Why not reunite the best Iowa tight end duo of all-time? Fant was viewed as the better receiver between him and Hockenson coming out but the latter had a more balanced skill set and could thrive at both in time. Now that Fant is five years into his career, he is blossoming but is it enough to get a big contract in free agency? One year with O’Connell’s offense could springboard him to that big contract.
Austin Hooper
Hooper isn’t the same player that he was a few years ago but he would provide a durable option that could give you a baseline level of success as a starter. The best part with Hooper is that he could come cheap, as his last contract was less than $3 million per year. That feels like a likely path for the Vikings, especially with their salary cap constraints.
Harrison Bryant
What if the Vikings decide to go with a younger option at the position with the idea of possibly moving on from Oliver after the 2024 season? Bryant thrived with the Browns in Kevin Stefanski’s offense that prioritized 12 personnel. With the Vikings looking to do more of that in general, he could end up taking the spot of Hockenson while sliding into the TE2 role in 2025.
