Litchfield Minnesota native John Carlson is doing everything he can to make sure he's able to play in the Vikings' season opener against the Jaguars on Sunday. Carlson missed most of training camp with a sprained knee, but head coach Leslie Frazier says the tight end mentally prepared to play in the game.

So where is free agent tight end John Carlson? The 5-million-dollar man -- who missed the preseason with a sprained knee -- has yet to catch a pass in two Vikings games, but head coach Leslie Frazier says "we do expect him to be a contributor as we go forward."

Vikings tight end and Litchfield, Minn., native John Carlson, signed as a free agent in the offseason. He went one-on-one with the Pioneer Press about the upcoming season. Carlson opines on being a tight end, the Vikings offense and what it's like playing for the team you watched as a child.

The Vikings have reportedly signed free agent tight end John Carlson. The Litchfield native missed last season with the Seattle Seahawks with a shoulder injury. He’s expected to make $25 million over five years.

You may already think you know all there is to know about Vikings' tight end John Carlson. He's from Litchfield, Minnesota, was a basketball, football and tennis star in high school and he loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. This is for you if you want to know even more.

The Phoenix Cardinals safety who sidelined Vikings tight end John Carlson with a concussion is fined $21,000 for the hit by the NFL. Rashad Johnson hit Carlson with a blindside block in the Vikings 21-14 win over the Cardinals.

An MRI confirmed Minnesota Vikings tight end John Carlson has a sprained right knee, but it won’t require surgery. Coach Leslie Frazier told the Star Tribune he hopes Carlson can return to the field in a week or two. "A lot of it will depend on his pain tolerance," Frazier said. He was injured after he took a hit during practice Tuesday.