Lions TE T.J. Hockenson discusses trade speculation
The Lions are sitting with the worst record in the NFL at 1-6, leading to speculation that the front office could shop their veterans prior to the trade deadline. T.J. Hockenson would be one of Detroit’s more valuable trade pieces, and there have been plenty of pundits who have hinted that the tight end could be on the move before Tuesday. However, Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that the Lions have not fielded any calls on Hockenson as of Friday.
Despite the Lions’ assertion that they’re not shopping Hockenson, that hasn’t stopped the player from joking about the situation.
“It’s just like, ‘Hey’d you hear I’m getting traded?’” Hockenson told Birkett of the trade rumors. “It’s more me laughing about it than anything. I mean, if that — like I said, I love everybody in this locker room, I love being here in Detroit. I mean, but more importantly and most importantly I love playing football and so I’m going to have the opportunity to do that and that’s really what my whole role in this entire league is to do is to play football. So as long as I have that opportunity I’m good.”
Per Birkett, Hockenson said he hasn’t talked to coach Dan Campbell or general manager Brad Holmes about the rumors, and he expects to stay in Detroit through the trade deadline. On the flip side, the tight end also understands that the NFL is a business and he’s one of the more appealing trade targets on his squad.
“Listen, I’m not stupid, I know what I can bring to another team and I know here that they could, if they want something, if they want to do things for the future then I’m not stupid in that sense,” Hockenson said. “It is a business and whatever they have to do upstairs they’re going to do. And that doesn’t — there’s no hard feelings about it. There’s no, ‘Hey, I don’t like him personally’ or anything about that. That’s just how it is. So I’m not dumb or naïve in that fact.”
The 25-year-old was on pace to set career-highs in 2021 before tearing the UCL in his thumb in December. In six games this year, he’s hauled in 23 receptions for 315 yards and three scores, although a lot of that production came in a Week 4 contest that saw him finish with eight receptions for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Hockenson has a year-plus remaining on his contract, with a bit more than $500K still due in 2022 and $9.39MM due in 2023.