Former Vikings tight end emerging as a starter for the Jets this summer

Former Minnesota Vikings tight end Tyler Conklin has quickly emerged as the top tight end for the New York Jets during their training camp this summer.

Coming off a breakout performance with the Minnesota Vikings last season, tight end Tyler Conklin has apparently been impressive during his first training camp with the New York Jets this summer.

Conklin signed with the Jets earlier this year after spending his first four seasons in the NFL with the Vikings. He only hauled in a total of 32 passes during his first three years in Minnesota, but after the team turned to him to replace an injured Irv Smith Jr. last season, he ended the 2021 campaign with 61 catches for 593 yards and three touchdowns.

Following Conklin’s impressive performance last season, the Vikings decided to let him test free agency. Shortly after the 2022 free agency period began, the veteran tight end landed a three-year contract worth $21 million with New York.

Former Minnesota Vikings TE Tyler Conklin having an excellent training camp with the New York Jets

Inside MetLife Stadium on Saturday, the Jets held their yearly Green and White scrimmage, and Conklin turned out to be one of the stars of the event.

According to TheJetPress.com’s Justin Fried, no New York player “shined brighter” on Saturday than the former Minnesota tight end. Fried shared that Conklin hauled in a total of seven catches during his time on the field in the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills that took place during the practice.

In addition to his performance on Saturday, Fried wrote that the former Vikings draft pick “has been one of the stars of the summer” for the Jets, and that he is the “clear No. 1 tight end” for New York heading into the regular season.

After it took Conklin four years to have any sort of significant production out on the field, it’s fair for some to wonder if his performance with Minnesota last season was a fluke. This doubt about his future likely played a large part in the Vikings moving on from him this offseason.

But with the Jets so far this summer, the 27-year-old tight end appears to be trending in the direction of his play from 2021 becoming the norm for him each season.