Can we talk Tight Ends?

[Texas Vike]

The Vikings have signed free agent tight end Jacob Hollister to their practice squad.

Hollister is only 28 and not your run-of-the-mill practice-squad tight end. In 2019 he tallied 41 receptions for 349 yards and 3 TDs with the Seahawks. He put up six catches for 44 yards in Seattle’s 37-30 win over the Vikings in December of that season.

Curious signing. The Vikes already have Irv, Mundt and Elefson on the active roster. Wonder if something is in the works. Trade coming? Tired of Irv’s drops?

I hope they trade Irv.

Mundt's crucial drop on 3rd and goal was brutal. Time to look at better options. Irv doesn't seem like a true TE, but rather a WR. They don't seem to trust his blocking much.

[Maelstrom88]

I hope they trade Irv.

Mundt's crucial drop on 3rd and goal was brutal. Time to look at better options. Irv doesn't seem like a true TE, but rather a WR. They don't seem to trust his blocking much.

True. I dint think they have a great all around TE on the roster. I'm just tired of the Irv experiment.

[JJBreaksRecords]

I didnt like it when we drafted Irv. And he certainly hasnt changed my mind since hes been here. The new regime didnt see fit to get a good catching TE, and decided to roll the dice with Irv. Just like they rolled the dice with Bradbury, who still isnt a good pass protector. I hope neither bite us in the bum later on in the year.

Irv with 1 catch. Im not sure how many touches, but he is NOT worth the draft pick so far. Take him out of the game if he is still injured.

[makila]

We need a solution at TE this offseason. Gotta have some positive contribution.

[JJBreaksRecords]

So many of us didnt trust Irv to be the man this year, and so far its true. Mundt had a bad game, but then he only had 1 pass thrown his way (I think). It should have been addressed earlier. TE's are essential in the NFL. And Irv might be the worst blocking TE ive seen.

[J. Kapp 11]

I hope they trade Irv.

Mundt's crucial drop on 3rd and goal was brutal. Time to look at better options. Irv doesn't seem like a true TE, but rather a WR. They don't seem to trust his blocking much.

They shouldn't trust his blocking. He's small, and he's terrible at blocking.

Irv's value is supposed to be as a fast, super-athletic H-back type tight end who can beat you down the field. He's showing himself to be inconsistent as a receiver.

Don't know if the Vikings will invest a high pick on a potentially dynamic tight end. O'Connell's offense doesn't seem to feature the position.

[Cliff]

Mundt's crucial drop on 3rd and goal was brutal. Time to look at better options. Irv doesn't seem like a true TE, but rather a WR. They don't seem to trust his blocking much.

They shouldn't trust his blocking. He's small, and he's terrible at blocking.

Irv's value is supposed to be as a fast, super-athletic H-back type tight end who can beat you down the field. He's showing himself to be inconsistent as a receiver.

Don't know if the Vikings will invest a high pick on a potentially dynamic tight end. O'Connell's offense doesn't seem to feature the position.

It wasn't for lack of trying. They kept getting Smith in 1-on-1 situations and he continuously wasn't able to come up with the catches or make space and of course the drops too. I don't know if it doesn't feature a TE in general or they lost confidence in being able to do so.

[makila]

I think they want to use a te some and have no options on this offense now.

[StumpHunter]

Tyler Conklin sits at 9th in yards among TEs at 192 yards after 4 games. He is currently on pace to catch for 816 yards with one of the worst QB situations in the NFL.

Irv Smith has 91 yards and is on pace to catch 387 yards playing in what is supposed to be a great receiving corp and with a better QB.

[allday1991]

Mattison and a 2nd for Pitts? I’d be calling the falcons gauging interest at the very least, falcons look completely lost on how to use him.

[J. Kapp 11]

Mattison and a 2nd for Pitts? I’d be calling the falcons gauging interest at the very least, falcons look completely lost on how to use him.

Maybe this year they're lost, but Pitts had 68 catches for over 1,000 yards last year as a rookie.

I don't think the Falcons will even answer the phone for Mattison and a second. I'd say the Vikings should take a tight end early in the draft, as there are some good ones coming out. But holy heck the defense needs help.

[Texas Vike]

Mattison and a 2nd for Pitts? I’d be calling the falcons gauging interest at the very least, falcons look completely lost on how to use him.

Maybe this year they're lost, but Pitts had 68 catches for over 1,000 yards last year as a rookie.

I don't think the Falcons will even answer the phone for Mattison and a second. I'd say the Vikings should take a tight end early in the draft, as there are some good ones coming out. But holy heck the defense needs help.

It doesn't help that they aren't one of the teams that is super hard up for RB help. At this point, Denver would have been the obvious trading partner, but they managed to steal Latavius Murray from the Saints' practice squad. They're rounding up Vikings RB rejects: Mike Boone and Murray.

Watching guys like Kelce, M. Andrews, and Kittle play the position is just a blast. I'd love to have someone solid.

[Texas Vike]

Mundt's crucial drop on 3rd and goal was brutal. Time to look at better options. Irv doesn't seem like a true TE, but rather a WR. They don't seem to trust his blocking much.

They shouldn't trust his blocking. He's small, and he's terrible at blocking.

Irv's value is supposed to be as a fast, super-athletic H-back type tight end who can beat you down the field. He's showing himself to be inconsistent as a receiver.

Don't know if the Vikings will invest a high pick on a potentially dynamic tight end. O'Connell's offense doesn't seem to feature the position.

For sure. And to be clear, I wasn't saying they SHOULD trust his blocking. He sucks at it, which is kind of an important part of being a TE. Irv appears to me to be a psuedo-TE / WR who isn't good at blocking or catching the ball. In other words, he is utterly replaceable. We definitely need an upgrade.

[CharVike]

Tyler Conklin sits at 9th in yards among TEs at 192 yards after 4 games. He is currently on pace to catch for 816 yards with one of the worst QB situations in the NFL.

Irv Smith has 91 yards and is on pace to catch 387 yards playing in what is supposed to be a great receiving corp and with a better QB.

Conklin was the guy to keep. Him and Cousins seemed to be on the same page. He's not the best but he can do it all. Now we sit with Mundt who is nothing more than a blocker and it's stupid to even send him out on a route. He has hands of stone which will eventually lead to a bad bounce off hands interception at the worst possible time. He's our current version of an old timer Hunter Goodwin. Irv is basically a Speilman shot in the dark draft pick. They need to stick with him for now and cut him after the season if he still sucks. Live with the roster you built.

[soflavike]

So, it's a few weeks later and our TE situation has been radically revised with the trade for Hockenson.

Against the Commanders: Played 60/66 offensive snaps, caught 9 of 9 targets for 70 yds, including 6 first downs

Against the Bills: Played 77/83 offensive snaps, caught 7 of 10 targets for 45 yds and got robbed of a TD by a questionable PI call.

Hock is a key acquisition, and fills a need that might have held us back from a serious playoff run..