Gavin Bartholomew Injury News & Updates

Bartholomew (back) was placed on the reserve/PUP list Tuesday.

The rookie sixth-round pick out of Pittsburgh missed the entire training camp and will now sit out at least four games. Bartholomew put together a solid collegiate career but never surpassed 326 yards or four touchdowns in a season. Once he returns, he'll look to usurp undrafted rookie Benjamin Yurosek for the No. 3 tight end job.

Coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday that Bartholomew is dealing with a lower back injury, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.

Bartholomew was placed on the active/PUP list Monday. The sixth-round rookie also missed a decent chunk of the offseason program rehabbing an injury.

Bartholomew (undisclosed) was placed on the active/PUP list by the Vikings on Monday.

Once the tight end is able to resume practicing, he can return at any point during training camp and the preseason. Bartholomew was rehabbing an undisclosed injury during the Vikings' offseason program in June. Minnesota selected the Pittsburgh product in the sixth round of April's draft, though he's likely behind T.J. Hockenson and Josh Oliver on the depth chart at the moment.

Bartholomew was off to the side rehabbing an undisclosed injury during the offseason program, Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated reports.

It's like a minor injury, but it's something to watch at the start of training camp. Bartholomew is a 2025 6th-round draft pick, so his roster spot isn't guaranteed and a slow start to training camp due to injury could hurt his chances.

The Vikings selected Bartholomew in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, 202nd overall.

Bartholomew (6-foot-5, 246 pounds) likely won't prove to be any more than a backup in the NFL, but he had a respectable collegiate career at Pittsburgh, where he was a four-year starter. The problem is that Bartholomew just doesn't stand out in any way -- his production from his true freshman season (28 receptions for 326 yards and four touchdowns) was arguably a career year, and it's not usually a great sign if a player's best season is their true freshman one. With that said, Bartholomew's 4.7-second 40-yard dash is completely respectable and there's no obvious reason why he can't stick around the NFL for a while, even if he never tops a depth chart.