According to The Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling, the Minnesota Vikings have added a void year into the contract extension of tight end T.J. Hockenson.
Void years are a relatively new practice by NFL front offices. The idea is that you can add void years to spread out salary cap hits down the line. Yes, you have to pay the piper eventually and take those cap hits. However, using them to maneuver and create windows of opportunity for your team.
The best way to utilize void years is to convert base salary that you are scheduled to pay a player and spread it out over multiple seasons. The Vikings have done that multiple times, most recently with quarterback Kirk Cousins.
In terms of Hockenson’s contract, the void year is on there to help potential bonus conversions down the line. It doesn’t change any part of his contract extension. The cap hits remain the same, but the flexibility is something that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah prioritizes and he gets to retain it.
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