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Recently, the team over at Bleacher Report identified one “overpaid” player for each NFL team following 2026 free agency. Despite a number of decent choices at their disposal, their choice for the Minnesota Vikings should surprise no one – tight end T.J. Hockenson.
Hockenson was chosen over several other high-priced players on the roster, including Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Greenard. Greenard comes into the 2026 season with a cap-hit well over $22 million and has been the subject of a bevy of trade rumors to get that number off the books, which would lend itself to appearing on a list like this.
In his first season with the Vikings, Greenard more than earned his future high cap hit, tallying 12 sacks for the second straight season and earning his first Pro Bowl honor. The 2025 season, however, was a much different story. That’s somewhat of a theme here. Greenard notched just three sacks in 2025.
Jefferson, despite a down year in 2025, has been arguably the best wide receiver in the league, so he was never going to be the choice. However, where the Bleacher Report team lent grace to Jefferson for struggling through the Vikings’ anemic offense, no such leniency was afforded to Hockenson.
Hockenson has totaled just three touchdowns since the start of the 2024 season and has failed to reach 500 receiving yards in each of the last two years. Despite a recent contract restructure, his $15.6 million cap hit in 2026 still ranks among the highest at the position.
On the surface, that combination makes him an easy candidate. There’s no arguing that his production hasn’t matched the cap number over the past two seasons, particularly compared to some of the league’s top pass-catching tight ends.
At the same time, the evaluation isn’t quite that simple. Hockenson’s production hasn’t been reflective of his contract, but how much of that is due to a decline in Hockenson’s ability, and how much can be attributed to factors outside his control. Hockenson has dealt with a significant knee injury that has stifled his production the past two seasons.
To make matters worse, Hockenson – much like Jefferson – hasn’t been as ‘QB-proof’ as some may have thought. The offense has sputtered with J.J. McCarthy at the helm, and Hockenson has failed to be the safety valve that bails McCarthy out in a tough spot. How much of that is on Hockenson versus McCarthy failing to adjust to the pro game? Or the coaching staff failing to develop McCarthy?
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Offseason: Which Vikings player is considered the most overpaid?
Continue reading...
Hockenson was chosen over several other high-priced players on the roster, including Justin Jefferson and Jonathan Greenard. Greenard comes into the 2026 season with a cap-hit well over $22 million and has been the subject of a bevy of trade rumors to get that number off the books, which would lend itself to appearing on a list like this.
In his first season with the Vikings, Greenard more than earned his future high cap hit, tallying 12 sacks for the second straight season and earning his first Pro Bowl honor. The 2025 season, however, was a much different story. That’s somewhat of a theme here. Greenard notched just three sacks in 2025.
Jefferson, despite a down year in 2025, has been arguably the best wide receiver in the league, so he was never going to be the choice. However, where the Bleacher Report team lent grace to Jefferson for struggling through the Vikings’ anemic offense, no such leniency was afforded to Hockenson.
Hockenson has totaled just three touchdowns since the start of the 2024 season and has failed to reach 500 receiving yards in each of the last two years. Despite a recent contract restructure, his $15.6 million cap hit in 2026 still ranks among the highest at the position.
On the surface, that combination makes him an easy candidate. There’s no arguing that his production hasn’t matched the cap number over the past two seasons, particularly compared to some of the league’s top pass-catching tight ends.
At the same time, the evaluation isn’t quite that simple. Hockenson’s production hasn’t been reflective of his contract, but how much of that is due to a decline in Hockenson’s ability, and how much can be attributed to factors outside his control. Hockenson has dealt with a significant knee injury that has stifled his production the past two seasons.
To make matters worse, Hockenson – much like Jefferson – hasn’t been as ‘QB-proof’ as some may have thought. The offense has sputtered with J.J. McCarthy at the helm, and Hockenson has failed to be the safety valve that bails McCarthy out in a tough spot. How much of that is on Hockenson versus McCarthy failing to adjust to the pro game? Or the coaching staff failing to develop McCarthy?
This article originally appeared on Vikings Wire: NFL Offseason: Which Vikings player is considered the most overpaid?
Continue reading...
