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John Carlson | Tight End

Team: Minnesota Vikings
Age / DOB:  (29) / 5/12/1984
Ht / Wt:  6'5' / 251
College: Notre Dame
Contract: view contract details
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Latest News

Recent News

Vikings TE John Carlson has agreed to a restructured contract.
The Vikings foolishly gave Carlson a five-year, $25 million a year ago even though they had Kyle Rudolph ready to go. He ended up catching eight passes in 14 games. Due to count $4 million against the cap in 2013, Carlson was a lock for a massive paycut. Mar 12 - 10:44 AM
Source: ESPN 1500 Twin Cities

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Player News

Date:
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

The Vikings would take a $4 million cap hit to cut John Carlson before the start of the league year, but would not owe him any more guaranteed money.

If Carlson is still on the roster by the first day of the league year, he will collect $1.2 million in guarantees. One of last year's worst free agent signings, Carlson was paid $7.9 million in 2012 to post an 8/43/0 stat line across 14 games. He has no role in the Vikings offense.
Source: ESPN 1500 Twin Cities
Jan 11 - 10:55 AM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

John Carlson caught three passes for 17 yards in Minnesota's Week 15 win over the Rams.

The multi-catch effort was Carlson's first of the season. The colossal free-agent bust now has eight grabs for 43 yards on the year. Although Carlson signed his five-year, $25 million deal just last March, expect the Vikings to re-evaluate his Minnesota future in the offseason.
Sun, Dec 16, 2012 05:01:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

John Carlson (concussion) has resumed practicing fully.

He'll be good to go for Week 10 after missing two games. With just three catches on the year, Carlson couldn't be further from fantasy relevance in the Vikings' 30th ranked passing offense.
Source: Judd Zulgad on Twitter
Wed, Nov 7, 2012 02:52:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

John Carlson (concussion) expects to resume practicing Wednesday.

Carlson has yet to officially gain clearance, but he should be good to go for Week 10. With just three catches in seven games, however, he couldn't be further from fantasy relevance in the Vikings' woeful passing "attack."
Source: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Mon, Nov 5, 2012 01:50:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

John Carlson (concussion) has been officially ruled out for Week 9.

It will be Carlson's second straight absence. Signed to a five-year, $25 million deal in March, Carlson has three catches in seven games. He's week-to-week.
Source: Liz Mathews on Twitter
Fri, Nov 2, 2012 05:21:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

Vikings TE John Carlson (concussion) still has not been medically cleared.

It's not a surprise considering Carlson's long history of concussions. He's merely "week to week."
Source: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Wed, Oct 31, 2012 12:55:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

Vikings declared TE John Carlson, WR Jarius Wright, CB Brandon Burton, S Mistral Raymond, LB Audie Cole, and OL Mark Asper inactive for Thursday night's game against the Bucs.

Carlson suffered a concussion on Sunday, but he has been an utter disappointment this season anyway. The tight end sports a horrendous three catches for eight yards stat line. Rhett Ellison will back-up Kyle Rudolph. Raymond has been dealing with an ankle injury. McLeod Bethel-Thompson is the third quarterback.
Thu, Oct 25, 2012 07:07:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

Vikings TE John Carlson (concussion) has been ruled out for Thursday Night Football.

The owner of a 3/8/0 line behind Kyle Rudolph, Carlson is week-to-week. Take this as an opportunity to drop him if you forgot he was on your roster in a deeper league.
Source: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Wed, Oct 24, 2012 01:23:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

Vikings TE John Carlson's $1.2 million 2013 base salary is reportedly guaranteed for injury only unless he's on the roster as of the first day of the next league year.

Coach Leslie Frazier said Tuesday there is no reason to believe Carlson's fourth career concussion will put his career in jeopardy. The Vikes can, however, cut Carlson for performance reasons after he collects a whopping $7.9 million in guarantees this season. Carlson's contract is the one blemish on GM Rick Spielman's otherwise strong Executive of the Year candidacy. Fourth-rounder Rhett Ellison's emergence could make Carlson expendable going forward.
Related: Rhett Ellison
Source: ESPN 1500 Twin Cities
Tue, Oct 23, 2012 02:26:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

Vikings TE John Carlson (head) is not expected to play Thursday night against Tampa.

Coach Leslie Frazier confirmed Carlson is experiencing concussion-like symptoms and "probably won't play" as he goes through NFL protocol testing. Carlson has been a non-factor this season, and injury prone since the Vikings signed him to a five-year, $25M deal in March. He'll be replaced by Rhett Ellison.
Source: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Mon, Oct 22, 2012 01:38:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

Vikings TE John Carlson was sent to the locker room for concussion tests late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game versus the Cowboys.

Carlson was held without a catch on a day when Christian Ponder managed just 58 passing yards. The Vikings have gotten more out of fourth-round rookie H-back Rhett Ellison than their $25 million second tight end this season.
Sun, Oct 21, 2012 04:09:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

John Carlson caught just one pass for two yards in Week 5 against the Titans.

The Vikings had been planning to get Carlson more involved earlier in the season, but it just isn't happening. Fourth-round rookie Rhett Ellison caught two passes for 35 yards and may be passing Carlson on the depth chart. Neither player is a fantasy option.
Sun, Oct 7, 2012 08:41:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

The Vikings plan to increase John Carlson's snap count in Week 2 and going forward.

Carlson missed much of camp with a knee injury and played only 18 snaps in Week 1. "We want to get him more involved this week," coach Leslie Frazier said. "That will be the goal and we'll see how the game goes, but we feel like he is past the injury point." Carlson's return could remove some of the blocking load from Kyle Rudolph. The Vikings fancy Carlson as an in-line tight end.
Source: ESPN 1500 Twin Cities
Fri, Sep 14, 2012 05:54:00 PM
John Carlson - TE - Vikings

John Carlson (knee) is practicing fully this week.

Carlson missed the entire preseason, but is ready to roll for Week 1. At least for the time being, he's off the fantasy radar behind ascendant second-year pro Kyle Rudolph.
Source: Tom Pelissero on Twitter
Wed, Sep 5, 2012 05:10:00 PM

Depth Charts

Skill Players
PosRoleName
QB1Christian Ponder
2Matt Cassel
3McLeod Bethel-Thompson
4James Vandenberg
RB1Adrian Peterson
2Toby Gerhart
3Matt Asiata
4Joe Banyard
5Jerodis Williams
GLB1Adrian Peterson
2Toby Gerhart
3RB1Adrian Peterson
2Toby Gerhart
FB1Jerome Felton
2Zach Line
WR11Greg Jennings
2Jarius Wright
3Joe Webb
4Greg Childs
5Chris Summers
WR21Jerome Simpson
2Cordarrelle Patterson
3Stephen Burton
4Rodney Smith
5Erik Highsmith
WR31Cordarrelle Patterson
TE1Kyle Rudolph
2John Carlson
3Rhett Ellison
4Chase Ford
5Colin Anderson
K1Blair Walsh