Former Packers, Bears Free Agent to Sign With Another NFC North Rival

Former Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears tight end Robert Tonyan is continuing his tour of the NFC North.

On Thursday, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tonyan was signing with the Minnesota Vikings.

Tonyan, 30, debuted in 2018 with the Packers. After catching a total of 14 passes across his first two seasons, he exploded in 2020, reeling in 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns. He emerged as one of Aaron Rodgers' favorite targets and was looking like the next great tight end in Green Bay.

Unfortunately, injuries derailed his 2021 season, but he returned in 2022 to catch another 53 passes for 470 yards and two touchdowns. Then, after the 2022 season, when the Packers moved on from Rodgers, they also moved on from Tonyan.

In March 2023, Tonyan elected to remain in the NFC North and sign with the Bears. Tonyan appeared in all 17 games in 2023 but got just 17 targets, and caught 11 passes for 112 yards.

Now, Tonyan will be heading over to his third NFC North team in Minnesota, who could use the depth at tight end.

The Vikings' No. 1 tight end, T.J. Hockenson, tore his ACL and MCL in Week 16 against the Detroit Lions. He told NFL Network on Wednesday that he still doesn't have a timeline for a return.

"They haven't really put a timeline on it," Hockenson said. "We're just kind of taking it day by day, week by week. There are just so many variables that you can go through in this process. I'm doing really well right now. We're attacking each process. I'm attacking each one and it's been awesome, the progression has been incredible."

Hockenson has emerged as one of the NFL's best tight ends. In 15 games last season, the 26-year-old had a career-high 95 receptions for 960 yards and five touchdowns. The two-time Pro Bowler will return at some point in 2024, but he could miss the beginning of the season.

Thus, the Vikings are bringing in Tonyan, who joins a tight end room with Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, Trey Knox, and Sammis Reyes. Tonyan is by far the most proven of that bunch, so he has a real chance to open the season as the Vikings' starter assuming Hockenson isn't ready to go.

Tonyan joins a Vikings team that will have a new quarterback in 2024. Rookie first-round pick J.J. McCarthy will be competing with offseason addition Sam Darnold, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal with Minnesota this offseason after spending last year as Brock Purdy's backup with the San Francisco 49ers.