The Minnesota Vikings are about $40 million over the salary cap limit before the start of free agency, and if they cut players to ease the financial pain, some believe tight end T.J. Hockenson could be an odd man out. Accordingly, Hockenson would need a new home. Washington Commanders-themed media seem to think he’d be a smart fit on Dan Quinn’s team.

If the Vikings chase post–June 1 savings with Hockenson, Washington has been mentioned as a logical tight end fit.

Commanders Wire named-dropped Hockenson this week as a possible TE1 solution, especially after Zach Ertz’s career may be over.

Washington Gets Mentioned as a Hockenson Fit

Hockenson is still on the Vikings’ roster, but a cap casualty would make him available leaguewide in March.

Bryan Manning: Watch for Hockenson to WAS

Perhaps needing a new tight end in 2026, Manning landed on Hockenson as a sensible option.

He wrote, “If the Vikings move on from Hockenson, he could be a realistic candidate for Washington to fill its starting tight end position. Something to watch out for is Hockenson’s connection to the new Commanders’ offensive coordinator, David Blough. From 2019-21, Blough and Hockenson were teammates with the Detroit Lions.”

“When Detroit released Blough during final cuts before the 2022 season, he signed with the Vikings’ practice squad. At the 2022 NFL trade deadline, the Vikings traded for Hockenson. And it was Blough, the practice squad QB, who helped Hockenson prepare for his first game. That first game? It was against the Commanders and Hockenson caught nine passes for 70 yards in his Minnesota debut.”

Ertz was actually injured against the Vikings last season, and safety Jay Ward was accused of a dirty hit by Commanders fans.

Manning continued, “In 2025, Hockenson played 15 games for the Vikings and caught 51 passes for 438 yards and three touchdowns. Sure, the numbers don’t look great, but consider that Minnesota’s quarterback situation in 2025 was among the NFL’s worst. Additionally, injuries on the offensive line led to Hockenson being used more as a blocker.”

“Hockenson is still only 28. When healthy, he’s proven to be among the NFL’s better receiving tight ends. He would fit perfectly as a middle-of-the-field option for Daniels. And he’s not going to require top-of-the-market money.”

The Commanders’ TE Room without Ertz

As Washington approaches the offseason, it has these tight ends under contract, if one assumes Ertz won’t return after his gruesome, heartwrenching injury:

• John Bates
• Ben Sinnott
• Colson Yankoff
• Tyree Jackson
• Lawrence Cager

That group won’t quite cut it, so much so that the Commanders might be forced to pursue real big fish in free agency like Kyle Pitts if Hockenson isn’t the answer. A couple of others, like Isaiah Likely or David Njoku, could move the needle.

Vikings’ Cap Savings without Hockenson

Releasing Hockenson with a post-June 1 designation would free up nearly $16 million in cap space for the Vikings, providing significant financial flexibility. For a front office still finding its footing without a permanent general manager, that money could potentially be used to acquire two starting-caliber players at other positions.

That isn’t an indictment of Hockenson’s performance, but rather a question of resource allocation and player utilization.

Because J.J. McCarthy didn’t consistently target him in 2025, and due to an offensive line plagued by injuries, Hockenson was asked to contribute more as a pass- and run-blocker than initially anticipated. All the while, his salary ranked fourth among tight ends in the league last season, making the premium paid for a player primarily blocking less than ideal.

Vikings interim general manager Rob Brzezinski now faces this dilemma: retain a proven player and hope his usage increases, or reallocate the cap space and rebuild the offense around McCarthy’s strengths. That decision will set the tone for the team’s TE direction moving forward.

Who to Replace Him in MIN?

If Manning has this right and Hockenson joins the Commanders or leaves in general, the Vikings will almost certainly need a pass-catching replacement better than current TE2 Josh Oliver. Free-agent options look like this:

• Kyle Pitts
• David Njoku
• Isaiah Likely
• Chig Okonkwo
• Cade Otton
• Dallas Goedert
• Tyler Higbee
• Noah Fant
• Darren Waller

From the draft, just one name moves the needle as a sure-fire Week 1-ready tight end: Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq. It’s just unclear whether the Vikings would spend their 18th overall pick on a tight end.

Hockenson will turn 29 this summer. If the Vikings release him, news of that transaction will hit the wire sometime in the next three weeks.

He posted 438 receiving yards in 2025, ranking 26th in the NFL among tight ends.