Vikings' T.J. Hockenson: May practice next week
Coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that the Vikings will discuss whether to open Hockenson's (knee) window next week when he's first eligible to practice, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports.
Minnesota placed Hockenson on the reserve/PUP list on cut-down day Aug. 27, thus ruling him out for the first four games of the campaign as he continued his recovery from ACL and MCL tears that he suffered in his right knee Dec. 24 of last season. During Week 1 prep, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the team was believed to be targeting a return for Hockenson following the team's Week 6 bye, and now that seems to be the likely goal because the Vikings' Week 5 matchup with the Jets will be taking place in London at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, whose surface is synthetic for NFL games. If Minnesota takes such a course with Hockenson, a Week 7 showdown with his former team, the Lions, awaits Sunday, Oct. 20. In the meantime, Johnny Mundt (five targets this season) and Josh Oliver (two) will continue to man tight end for the Vikings.
