Vikings Snap Counts: Tyler Conklin steps in at tight end

The Minnesota Vikings’ 24-16 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was a frustrating afternoon for most players, but for tight end Tyler Conklin, it was a career day.

Taking the place of an injured Kyle Rudolph, who missed his first game since 2014, Conklin played 45 of Minnesota’s 79 offensive snaps (57%) and caught a career-high five passes for 40 yards.

It marked Conklin’s sixth career game with multiple receptions and ranked as his second-best performance in terms of receiving yards. (Conklin’s career high occurred in 2018 when he hauled in two receptions for 53 yards against Miami.)

The 45 offensive snaps rank as Conklin’s fourth-highest total of his three-year career. The former sixth-round pick has played a higher percentage of snaps (57%) just four times. It’s also worth noting Conklin played more snaps in Week 14 than fullback C.J. Ham (40), wide receiver Chad Beebe (34) and fellow tight end Irv. Smith Jr. (28).

Aside from Rudolph’s seven-catch day against Carolina in Week 12, the tight end position has been overlooked a bit in the Vikings offense. Rudolph has recorded two or fewer receptions in seven of 12 games, and Smith Jr. has just three contests with four grabs.

Primarily used as a blocking tight end when Rudolph and Smith Jr. are healthy, Conklin is proving he can do it all.

“He’s the real deal,” Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins said after the game. “He can pass protect, he can run [block]. In man coverage, he can win. He’s smart, so we can put a lot on his plate mentally, and we do.”

Cousins targeted Conklin five times — and did so in a couple of critical situations. Two of Conklin’s catches helped extend Minnesota’s third-quarter drive that ended with a touchdown catch by Smith Jr. Conklin hauled in a 14-yard reception on third-and-6 to keep the drive moving, and then caught a pass for a seven-yard gain on fourth-and-6 to move the ball into Tampa Bay’s red zone.

“He can do that week in and week out,” Cousins said. “He just hasn’t had the opportunity, being a sixth-round pick and being behind Rudy and Irv. His career trajectory is pointing up, and I think today showed that.”

Other notes from Sunday’s snap counts:

— Minnesota’s defense was on the field for 51 snaps, the second-lowest total of the season. In Week 10, the Vikings played 50 defensive snaps in their 19-13 win over the Chicago Bears.

— Filling in for the injured Eric Kendricks for the second straight week, veteran linebacker Todd Davis played 100% of the snaps. Davis had played a total of 50 defensive snaps heading into Week 13, but over the last two games he’s been on the field for 122.

— Running back Ameer Abdullah was active for 15 offensive snaps, which is his highest total in games featuring a healthy Dalvin Cook. Abdullah played 16 snaps in Week 6 when Cook missed Minnesota’s game against Atlanta. The 27-year-old saw a season-high five touches (three carries, two receptions) for 21 yards.

— Wide receiver Tajae Sharpe was on the field for five offensive snaps. He was targeted once on a deep ball on third down late in the fourth quarter but could not haul it in. Sharpe was waived by Minnesota on Monday, so he’ll finish his Vikings career with no receptions on three targets.

WEEK 14: AT BUCCANEERS (OFFENSE)