Following their matchup against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings will get their first opportunity to remove tight end T.J. Hockenson from the team's physically unable to perform list.
Hockenson is eligible to come off the PUP list in Week 5, and even if the Vikings don't believe he's ready to play in an actual game yet, they can still open up his practice window so that he can ease his way back into the offense.
Some were hoping to see Hockenson back in the starting lineup for Minnesota's Week 5 contest in London, England against the New York Jets, but according to a recent report from a notable NFL insider, that doesn't seem probable.
Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson "most likely" to return in Week 8 or Week 9
On Sunday, ESPN's Adam Schefter shared that the Vikings' matchup on the road against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8 or the team's home game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9 are the "most likely return-to-play dates" for Hockenson this season.
This would mean that Minnesota would not only be without its top tight end for Week 5 in London, but he also wouldn't play in the team's first game after their Week 6 bye in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions.
While that's probably disappointing for those who wanted Hockenson to return to the Vikings sooner, the team is clearly doing everything it can to prevent him from possibly re-injuring his knee once he actually does return.
Minnesota just signed Hockenson to a multi-year extension last summer, so they're not about to ruin their investment by rushing him back onto the field after he suffered a serious knee injury.
And, yes, the Vikings are off to a great start this season, and he would help the offense even more, but the franchise's focus is really on achieving an even larger amount of success in 2025, 2026, and beyond.
So, right now, Minnesota is just doing whatever they feel is necessary to ensure Hockenson is available to help in the future when the team's goals are at their highest.