Tight end Robert Tonyan carted off with reported back spasms

Tonyan was signed to help fill the pass-catching tight end role while T.J. Hockenson rehabs a knee injury.

Robert Tonyan / Image courtesy of the Minnesota Vikings

Robert Tonyan was carted off the practice field at Vikings training camp on Wednesday.

Details of his injury are unclear but reporters taking in the seventh practice of training camp say Tonyan was down on his back for a while before being carted off the field. Early indications are that Tonyan was suffering from back spasms. It's unclear if Tonyan will miss any time, but he was signed in the spring to help bolster Minnesota's tight end depth.

T.J. Hockenson, the No. 1 tight end on the roster, is just over seven months removed from tearing the ACL in his right knee and the expectation is that he won't be ready for the start of the regular season. He's currently on the physically unable to perform list and there is no timeline for when he'll be activated, but NFL players typically require 9-12 months of recovery after an ACL tear.

Tonyan was signed to fill the pass-catching role for Hockenson. Without Hockenson and Tonyan the tight end room consists of Josh Oliver, Johnny Mundt, Nick Muse, N'Keal Harry and Trey Knox.