Vikings TE Nick Muse has been identified as a potential candidate for team cut

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Nick Muse and Abram Smith of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings have invested heavily over the past two seasons, which could lead to the arrival of a familiar name on the outside during training camp.

On June 27, Evan Winter of A to Z Sports named Nick Muse as Minnesota's top “surprise cut candidate” of the summer. One of the main reasons is the way former Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears player Robert Tonyan performed in early offseason workouts.

“Vikings head coach (Kevin O'Connell) deemed Muse the 'best TE3 in the league' when the team re-signed him in March, but he's in a terribly crowded tight end room – even with TJ Hockenson on the mend,” Winter wrote. “The staff talked about Robert Tonyan and obviously Josh Oliver is in the mix. Then there's the wild card that is the N'Keal Harry experience. No one expects him to become the next Travis Kelce or Jim Kleinsasser, even. But at the same time, it could potentially be used as a weapon in certain packages and in certain situations. »

Winter also mentioned Trey Knox, formerly of South Carolina, who the Vikings signed as an undrafted free agent after the NFL draft.

Nick Muse has been a moderate contributor to the Vikings over the past 2 seasons, primarily on special teams.

GettyNick Muse of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the football during a preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers in August 2022.

Muse has appeared in 12 games with the Vikings over the past two seasons, playing almost exclusively on special teams (137 total snaps). He has recorded just one career catch for 22 yards and a first down, which came during the 2023 campaign, according to Pro Football Reference.

The devastating knee injury suffered by Hockenson late last year, which will keep the two-time Pro Bowler sidelined for at least a handful of games to start the upcoming season, could have provided an opening for Muse to he was a more accomplished pass catcher. However, with Oliver under contract until 2025 on a $21 million contract, Minnesota needs a tight end with safe hands and proven experience to replace Hockenson.

And Muse just isn't that guy.

Robert Tonyan and N'Keal Harry could play unemployed Nick Muse with the Vikings

GettyFormer Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan has thrived with the Minnesota Vikings so far in 2024.

Harry, a former first-round pick of the New England Patriots at wide receiver, will attempt to transition into a tight end for the Vikings this summer. Meanwhile, first-hand accounts described Tonyan as a standout player during spring and early summer practices.

“Robert Tonyan was superb at mini-camp,” wrote Alec Lewis of The Athletic on X on June 5. “No exaggeration. He caught everything, caught several passes in the red zone today, arms outstretched, stomped his foot in the corner of the end zone. Simply impressive. »

Tonyan played five years with the Packers, where he recorded 137 receptions for 1,437 yards and 17 TDs, according to Pro Football Reference. He will play this season at age 30 on a one-year contract worth $1.125 million, with only $150,000 guaranteed.

Meanwhile, Muse is playing on a one-year deal worth $985,000.

Max Dible Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, focusing on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and national news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group's Big Island family of radio stations before joining Heavy. More information about Max Dible