The Minnesota Vikings are eagerly awaiting the return of their star tight end, T.J. Hockenson, who is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season. On August 2, Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell provided an update on Hockenson’s progress, which, while promising, should be approached with cautious optimism.
O’Connell mentioned his temptation to press trainer Tyler Williams for more information about when Hockenson might begin practicing again, perhaps starting with individual drills or some routes to work on timing with the quarterbacks.
In his fourth NFL season, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson set the record for the most receiving yards by a player in their first four seasons, underscoring his tremendous impact on the team. This impressive achievement led the Vikings to reward him with a four-year, $140 million contract extension in June, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.
However, Jefferson’s 2023 season was disrupted by a right hamstring injury, which placed him on injured reserve for over a month. This injury cost him seven games in a season where he was on track for 1,826 yards—a career-high and the sixth-most receiving yards in a single NFL season. Even now, nearly ten months later, there are lingering concerns about the potential for a recurrence.
Hockenson is anticipated to miss the start of the season due to his ACL injury, and wide receiver Jordan Addison might face a suspension following a recent DUI arrest. This situation is further complicated by the tragic death of rookie Khyree Jackson in a drunk driving incident.
With Hockenson out, the Vikings lack significant receiving threats at tight end, which led them to sign Robert Tonyan during the off-season. On Friday, head coach Kevin O’Connell provided an update on Tonyan’s condition.
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