The Minnesota Vikings are on the verge of getting one of their best players back on the field at a crucial juncture in the season after losing two in a row following their 5-0 start.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson has been sidelined since tearing his ACL last December, and on the reserve/PUP list all season. However, he is coming back now. The Vikings will use the roster spot created by moving tackle Christian Darrisaw to injured reserve to place Hockenson on the active roster on Friday, thus making him eligible to return in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts on "Sunday Night Football."
"With that roster spot, T.J. Hockenson has been added to the 53-man roster, and he'll be ready to go against Indianapolis," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Friday. "Looking forward to getting T.J. back in our offense. Will be a significant boost for us."
On Monday, O'Connell said Hockenson had a chance to return this week against the Rams, but the team ultimately decided the two-time Pro Bowler wasn't yet ready.
Hockenson has been a massive part of Minnesota's offense immediately upon arrival via trade in 2022. In his 25 games with the team, the star tight end caught 155 passes for 1,479 yards and eight touchdowns. On a per-game basis, he averaged 2.2 more receptions (6.2 vs. 4.0) and 15.2 more yards (59.2 vs. 44) than he did during his time with the Detroit Lions, who made him a first-round pick in 2019.
Hockenson signed a four-year, $63.5 million extension shortly before last season, making him the league's second-highest paid tight end in the league by average annual value. If he regains the form he had that earned him said extension, the Vikings will sport one of the league's top pass-catching trios with Hockenson working alongside wideouts Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
