The Minnesota Vikings may be undefeated and riding the high seas of the NFC right now, but they aren’t without some concerns.
Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson hasn’t played yet this season after tearing his ACL late last season, and the Vikings will need him back if they are to have a chance of making some real noise in the playoffs.
Fortunately for the Vikings, Hockenson recently provided a positive update on his status.
“T.J. Hockenson said he has ‘passed every test by a mile’ from a medical standpoint. His knee is healed, but obviously the acclimation process takes time. He has no predictions on when he’ll play,” Kevin Seifert of ESPN wrote on X.
T.J. Hockenson said he has “passed every test by a mile” from a medical standpoint. His knee is healed, but obviously the acclimation process takes time. He has no predictions on when he’ll play. Likeliest targets are next week in LA or following vs. Colts.
— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) October 17, 2024
Seifert speculated that Hockenson could return in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Rams or the following week against the Indianapolis Colts.
He came to Minnesota from the Detroit Lions in a 2022 in-season trade, and last season had 95 receptions, 960 receiving yards and five touchdowns in 15 games before he was injured.
The fact that the Vikings have been playing so well this season without him speaks to their impressive depth.
Though they’ve gotten little production out of tight ends Johnny Mundt and Johnny Oliver, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson has returned to form after a hamstring injury afflicted him last year, and wideouts Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor have picked up some slack.
The Vikings face a stiff test in Week 7 when they host the Detroit Lions, an NFC North rival that is looking like the best team in the conference right now.
Very few people were picking Minnesota to make the playoffs when the season started, especially after rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy was lost for the year with a torn meniscus.
Now they have a chance to continue to prove they are for real, especially if Hockenson returns to action.
NEXT: Aaron Jones Provides Update On Status For Week 7
