Vikings change status of T.J. Hockenson before Week 7 vs. Lions

The Minnesota Vikings face their biggest test of th e season so far on Sunday when they host the Detroit Lions. Coming off their bye week, the purple and gold will need to be on top of their game in Week 7 if they hope to defend their undefeated record.

Many fans hoped that tight end T.J. Hockenson would return to action for this game after being on injured reserve to start the season and a recent update shined some more light on his availability for that game.

Vikings change status of T.J. Hockenson before Week 7 vs. Lions

On their official X account, the Minnesota Vikings updated the status of six players. Saturday's post discussed Hockenson's availability and provided some interesting news about a handful of other players.

Hockenson and offensive lineman Dalton Risner had their statuses for Week 7 changed to out, but are still in the 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve. That means their official returns could come in Week 8 or Week 9.

On the other hand, Minnesota signing tight end Robert Tonyan to the 53-man roster and waiving wide receiver Trishton Jackson is interesting. Minnesota has some excellent talent at tight end with Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt, but bringing Tonyan up not only gives more depth but likely makes him the placeholder player for when T.J. Hockenson eventually returns.

Defensive lineman Jalen Redmond has been quite active lately, being cut from the active roster and signed back to the practice squad. Now, he and preseason standout Bo Richter have been elevated to the roster for Week 7 against the Lions.

When Hockenson returns, he will be a major weapon for Sam Darnold and the Vikings offense. Last season, he averaged 64 receiving yards per game and found the end zone five times, making him a great option in a Kevin O'Connell offense that includes Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Aaron Jones.

Minnesota will need to face their NFC North foes without the former Detroit Lions tight end. The Vikings need to win this game to stay on top of the division since their Week 7 opponents have only one loss and would have a head-to-head victory if Jared Goff and crew are victorious on Sunday.

Still, it is best not to rush T.J. Hockenson or Dalton Risner back into action until they are ready. Even though this is a huge game with major implications on the scope of the division, having those guys available long-term is more important than having them on the field in Week 7,

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