Report: Vikings' T.J. Hockenson more likely to return in Week 8 or 9

Hockenson may need a few more weeks before the Vikings clear him to play.

Dec 24, 2023; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) warms up before the game against the Detroit Lions at U.S. Bank Stadium. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Vikings Pro Bowl tight end T.J. Hockenson will miss his fourth game on Sunday, meaning he's eligible to come off of short-term injured reserve next week. But while he's "nearing a return to practice," Hockenson's 2024 debut likely won't come until Week 8 or 9, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

That report stands in contrast to the general expectation, which was that a Week 5 return in London was a slight possibility and the post-bye Week 7 game against the Lions was the realistic target date. Now it sounds like Hockenson, who is currently nine months removed from ACL repair surgery, may not be ready for that game against his former team.

The recent updates from head coach Kevin O'Connell have been positive on Hockenson. "He's doing great," O'Connell said. "Hoping to get T.J. up and rolling as soon as possible. He's done everything we've asked, he's itching to get out there."

But it also makes sense that the Vikings are going to err on the side of caution with their star tight end, who is in the first year of a four-year, $66 million contract. At a minimum, he's clearly not going to play next week against the Jets in London. Hockenson will undoubtedly want to play against Detroit — the team that drafted him in the first round in 2019 and then traded him away in 2022 — on October 20, but it'll come down to the Vikings' medical staff determining whether or not he's ready.

Fans should brace for the possibility that Hockenson won't be back until Week 8 against the Rams on Thursday Night Football — or even a Week 9 home game against the Colts on November 3. Until then, the Vikings will continue to operate with Johnny Mundt and Josh Oliver as their top tight ends.