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By Noah Camras
Contributing Sports Writer
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A thin Minnesota Vikings tight end room is getting thinner.
On Thursday, tight end Robert Tonyan was carted off the practice field with an apparent back injury. On Friday, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell provided an update on his tight end.
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"I know he was carted off," O'Connell said. "It was a back spasm-type issue. He's going to be working through a lower back thing. We hope to get him back soon. He'll be out today, we'll see how that goes in the next few days, how he kind of turns over. We want to give him — especially with the preseason games in the not too distant future — we want to make sure we get him to a good place so he can take part in those."
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Tonyan, 30, signed with the Vikings this offseason on a one-year, $1.125 million deal. Tonyan spent the first five years of his career with the NFC North's Green Bay Packers, and the 2023 season with the NFC North's Chicago Bears. Tonyan had 11 receptions for 112 yards in 2023 but has multiple seasons with 50 catches, including a 2020 season in which he had an incredible 11 touchdown receptions as Aaron Rodgers' favorite red zone target.
Tonyan joined the Vikings as much-needed depth this offseason with starting tight end T.J. Hockenson recovering from a torn ACL and MCL he suffered in Week 16 of last season. Hockenson is expected to return this season, but for now, the Vikings' starting tight end battle is wide open.
Tonyan, Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, Trey Knox, N'Keal Harry, and Sammis Reyes make up the current tight end room at Minnesota training camp. Harry is making the transition to tight end after spending the first five years of his career as a wide receiver.
It sounds like O'Connell is hopeful Tonyan is able to get into preseason games, which start next week. However, they'll be careful with Tonyan, as they don't want him to be dealing with this back issue the entire season.
The Vikings will hope it's a relatively minor issue for Tonyan. They've already lost one standout player in training camp, as cornerback Mekhi Blackmon suffered a likely season-ending torn ACL on the fist day of camp.
Read more: Standout Minnesota Vikings Defender Tears ACL During First Day of Training Camp
The Vikings open preseason play on Saturday, Aug. 10 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
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