Source: T.J. Hockenson’s Return Not Right around the Corner

Because Minnesota Vikings tight T.J. Hockenson hit the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list late in the summer, many assumed his mandatory four-game absence would enable his return in Week 5 — a showdown in London with Aaron Rodgers’ New York Jets.

Source: T.J. Hockenson’s Return Not Right around the Corner

But sources tell VikingsTerritory that a more realistic return for Hockenson is around Week 8 when the Vikings travel to Los Angeles for a meeting with the Rams.

Minnesota is taking the cautious route with Hockenson, allowing his torn ACL to heal fully without risk of re-injury. And with the franchise sitting nicely at 3-0, treading gingerly with his recovery makes sense. Why rush the man back when the enterprise is humming in the meantime?

Without Hockenson, no Hockenson-like tight end has emerged in his stead. By committee, the Vikings have relied on Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt for TE duties through three games. So far, the club is undefeated and sits atop the NFC North by its wonderful lonesome.

Too, new Vikings running back Aaron Jones has totally taken the pressure off the passing game, as Minnesota ranks 12th per rushing offense DVOA as of September 23rd, up 15 spots from its 27th ranking in 2023. Minnesota’s offense simply isn’t as pass-heavy as 2022 or 2023 iterations, thanks to Jones’ efficiency, with a side dish of Ty Chandler receiving about 35% of RB touches.

Three weeks ago, Hockenson’s Week 5 return piqued onlookers’ attention. The Athletic’s Alec Lewis opined on Hockenson’s return earlier this month: “Week 5 is a fair projection. That’s when he is eligible to return from the physically unable to perform list. His presence on the list means he can practice, and he won’t need any runway in terms of learning the system. Don’t be surprised if he suits up in London against the New York Jets.”

Detroit Lions defender Kerby Joseph, a former teammate of Hockenson’s, injured him in December with a dirty hit, ending his 2023 campaign and casting his 2024 return date into jeopardy. 

“Hockenson is already sprinting and running routes on side fields. Had the Vikings prioritized the team over the player, they probably could have pushed him to return in these first few weeks,” Lewis added a few weeks ago. “But from the outset, that’s not how they’ve viewed this process, even working in tandem with Hockenson’s private trainers in Nashville to establish trust.”

Hockenson was on the brink of becoming the Vikings’ first 1,000+ yard tight end in 42 years before the ACL tear in 2023. Joe Senser achieved the mark in 1981, and Hockenson fell 40 yards short. When wide receiver Justin Jefferson was injured for seven games in October and November, Hockenson was often the glue that kept the offense together.

The veteran tight end personally commented on his recovery in July. “It’s been great, yeah. We’re running now, doing a lot of change-of-direction stuff,” Hockenson said on Bussin with the Boys.

Hockenson said he felt like a “normal person” again and added: “At the point I’m at now, I feel really comfortable about being able to come back and be the player I was and even be better. That’s huge for me.”

The show’s hosts attempted to nail down Hockenson on a tentative return date of Week 5 in London, though the veteran Viking quickly backed out of any concrete timetable. He merely insisted the recovery was trending well and in the right direction on the whole.

Overall, the updated prognosis is post-Week-5 — possibly at the Rams on Thursday, October 24th.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.