3 Vikings Players Hit the Shelf
Minnesota Vikings training camp began Sunday, with all rookies reporting along with 18 veterans. The rest of the team will arrive Tuesday.
3 Vikings Players Hit the Shelf
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell held a press conference on Monday, addressing questions from the media, ranging from Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson to the QB1 situation.
Shortly after, the franchise tossed three players on the shelf — two on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list; one on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list — with roster maintenance underway. These are the three players listed alphabetically.
1. T.J. Hockenson (TE)
PUP
As expected, Hockenson won’t be available to start training camp after suffering an ACL tear last December against the Detroit Lions.
“T.J. will begin training camp on the PUP list. He’s well ahead of schedule from a standpoint of some of the benchmarks on his rehab. T.J., looking back at the offseason program, did not miss really a day outside going to see his surgeon in Los Angeles,” O’Connell told reporters on Monday. “He was here every single day, and that continued through the summer.”
Hockenson won’t be rushed back, either. O’Connell added, “The significant injury that it was, we want to make sure to follow our plan to when T.J. gets on the field and continues to do more and more throughout training camp, and hopefully at some point when he’s ready to go we want to make sure everything is done the right way for T.J., because he’s such a significant part of our organization.”
2. DeWayne McBride (RB)
NFI
The 7th-R0und halfback from the 2023 NFL Draft didn’t make the active roster last year and will now hit the NFI list with an unknown ailment.
It’s worth noting that any player on the NFI or PUP list can rejoin the team this summer — it’s not like the regular season with any mandates.
Minnesota employs Aaron Jones and Ty Chandler at the top of the RB ticket, with McBride, Kene Nwangwu, and Myles Gaskin filling out depth. Some fans are excited to see McBride this summer after a practice squad season as a rookie. Stay tuned.
3. NaJee Thompson (DB)
PUP
Thompson’s knee landed him on the summer PUP list, the team announced Monday. The young defender served as the Vikings’ primary special teams ace last year, a job he’ll undoubtedly eye again in 2024. During minicamp, some credible sources suggested Thompson had switched from cornerback to safety, though the Vikings’ website still lists Thompson as a corner.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His MIN obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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