The Minnesota Vikings open their season this Sunday in New York against the Giants at noon, but they’ll be without a crucial offensive piece. Star tight end T.J. Hockenson will be sidelined, as he’s still on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list.
However, today, the Minnesota Vikings made some moves off the field, restructuring T.J. Hockenson’s contract to free up some valuable cap space.
Minnesota Vikings rework TJ Hockenson’s contract
The Minnesota Vikings acquired T.J. Hockenson from the Detroit Lions during the 2022-23 season, and he’s been a vital part of the Vikings’ offense ever since.
Hockenson inked a four-year, $66 million contract extension in August 2023, ensuring he’ll remain in purple through the 2027-28 season.
This is obviously not a pay cut for TJ Hockenson. None of the terms of his deal have changed. Just the typical move to free up more cap space. https://t.co/3H0jsIWS9Y
— Dane Mizutani (@DaneMizutani) September 5, 2024
According to Dane Mizutani of the Pioneer Press, the Vikings made a minor adjustment to T.J. Hockenson’s contract. While his total pay remains the same, they shifted some of the money around to create additional cap space for the team.
Before this restructure, the Vikings were at the bottom of the NFL in terms of salary cap space, with only about $900,000, according to OverTheCap.
This adjustment provides the Vikings with more flexibility to make additional moves this season. As for Hockenson, his $14 million cap hit for 2024 will be reduced, but he won’t lose or defer any of the money he was originally set to receive.
