The Buccaneers have started 0-2, and one of the biggest reasons is staring right at the Vikings: they haven’t handled tight ends well at all.
Through two games, Tampa Bay has already given up 15 catches, 172 yards and two touchdowns to opposing tight ends. That’s not exactly a list of elite damage-makers either, with Cincinnati’s Mike Gesicki and Cleveland’s tight end group doing the early work. The pattern is obvious enough that Minnesota should have every reason to circle Sunday as a chance to attack the middle of the field.
The matchup gets even more interesting with linebacker Josiah Trotter out for this week’s game. That opens the door for the Vikings to lean on an old familiar name if they want to take advantage of Tampa Bay’s biggest defensive leak: T.J. Hockenson.
It has been a long time since Hockenson looked like a central piece of the Minnesota offense. Since tearing his ACL in late 2023, he has averaged just five targets per game and has been more of a background option than a featured one.
Before the injury, he was on a path that looked headed toward perennial Pro Bowl status. Since then, the production has been harder to find.
The numbers back that up. Hockenson has just seven catches for 65 yards this season, and he still hasn’t eclipsed 500 receiving yards in a season since the injury.
After taking a $5 million pay cut in the offseason, the situation has started to feel like one that could end in a split after the year. He’ll be 30 next season, and unless there’s a major rebound in 2026, it’s tough to see the sides lining up on another deal.
Sunday could be the first step toward changing that.
Todd Bowles, though, isn’t sounding alarmed. The Buccaneers coach pushed back on the idea that tight ends have been a problem.
"I don't think we struggled against it this past weekend," Bowles said. "I mean, the first week, I thought we missed two zone drops, and this week we busted a coverage, and they caught one pass.
I don't really see the [connection] from last year to this year. I thought we made big strides, and it's too early to tell right now whether we will struggle against the tight ends or not."
Minnesota has other weapons, of course, but if Tampa Bay loads up on Justin Jefferson and the rest of the receiver group, Hockenson could be the one left with the cleanest path to production. The Vikings have already seen enough from their tight end to know the ceiling is still there. The question now is whether Sunday finally gives him a chance to show it again.
In Other News...
Vikings Take A Late Defensive Hit Before Huge Bucs Matchup
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Any trade talk would have to run through Kevin OConnells view of McCarthys future, and that is where the real debate starts. OConnell has shown interest in developing him, which makes an in-season deal feel complicated even before you get to the value question, but recent quarterback trades suggest McCarthy would not command a massive haul, perhaps landing somewhere in the range of a fourth- or sixth-round pick. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Give Dillon Bell A Chance Their Passing Game Desperately Needs
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Bell flashed in the preseason, and Minnesota has not been shy about searching for answers as the offense tries to find more consistency through the air. He has yet to turn that into a real regular-season impact, but the door appears open for more opportunities if the Vikings decide they need another receiver to help lighten the load. [Read more 🡒]