The Minnesota Vikings have lost another tight end, for the moment.
Robert Tonyan left Thursday’s practice on a cart and, according to coach Kevin O’Connell, has a back injury.
“It was a back spasm-type issue. He’s going to be working through a lower-back thing,” O’Connell told reporters Friday. “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.”
O’Connell added that the team wants to make sure Tonyan gets into the Vikings’ exhibition games.
Minnesota was already without No. 1 tight end T.J. Hockenson, who is recovering from an ACL tear suffered in Week 16 last season.
Tonyan, 30, signed with the Vikings this offseason after 11 receptions for 112 yards with the Chicago Bears in 2023. He spent the previous five seasons with the Green Bay Packers.
Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, Sammis Reyes, N’Keal Harry and rookie Trey Knox are also competing at tight end for Minnesota.