The Minnesota Vikings fell to 1-4 with their loss to the Kansas City Chiefs this past Sunday, and with no improvement in sight, the Vikings may very well choose to blow things up ahead of the Oct. 31 NFL trade deadline. Could a team like the Miami Dolphins try to snag tight end TJ Hockenson in a bold move?
Minnesota appears to be in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the club would surely love to have the chance to take USC quarterback Caleb Williams.
So, it stands to reason that the Vikings could try and tank for the chance to take Williams in the spring.
Christopher Kline of FanSided lists off a bunch of trades Minnesota could make in order to “embrace the tank” for the remainder of 2023, and among them is sending tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Miami Dolphins.
The Vikings initially acquired Hockenson in a midseason trade with the Detroit Lions last season. They then proceeded to hand him a four-year, $68.5 million contract extension, making Hockenson the highest-paid tight end in league history.
While Hockenson is certainly one of the NFL’s best at his position, it may behoove Minnesota to get his salary off the books in order to fully enter into rebuilding mode.
The Dolphins could send a 2024 second-round draft pick to the Vikings, allowing Minnesota to clear some cap room while also reaping a valuable asset in return.
Meanwhile, Miami would add a terrific pass-catcher to an already explosive aerial attack that includes wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Through five games this season, TJ Hockenson has already logged 30 catches for 254 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Last year, he hauled in 86 receptions for 914 yards and six scores in a full 17 contests between the Vikings and the Lions.
Hockenson’s presence in Miami’s offense would even further open up the field for its dynamic receivers and make Tua Tagovailoa’s job even easier under center.
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