Vikings' TJ Hockenson set to take big step towards return from injury after Week 4

The Minnesota Vikings have been one of the biggest surprises so far in the NFL this season, as they have cruised to a 3-0 start to the year, taking down top teams such as the San Francisco 49ers and Houston Texans along the way. Making that accomplishment even more impressive is the fact that they haven't been at full health, as key pieces like tight end TJ Hockenson have yet to suit up for them this year.

Hockenson needed some extra time to recover from surgery to repair a torn ACL , which resulted in him starting the new campaign on the PUP list. That ensured Hockenson wouldn't play in the first four games of the season, but once Minnesota's Week 4 contest against the Green Bay Packers concludes, he'd be eligible to return. And with that in mind, it sounds like that star pass catcher is hoping to return to practice this week.

Via Adam Schefter:

"Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson, coming off a major knee injury of his own, also is nearing a return to practice. The most likely return-to-play dates for Hockenson currently are the Thursday night, Oct 24 game in Los Angeles, or the following week's home game against the Colts."

Vikings offense could get a major boost from TJ Hockenson's return

Hockenson's 2023 season came to a premature end after he suffered a torn ACL in their Week 16 loss to the Detroit Lions, meaning he spent much of his offseason rehabbing from this injury. ACL injuries often take quite a bit of time to recover from, so considering how the injury took place late in the season, it wasn't much of a surprise to see that Hockenson wasn't ready for the start of the season.

And while the Vikings haven't missed a beat without him, you can bet quarterback Sam Darnold will be thrilled to have him at his disposal when he does eventually return to the team in the near future. Chances are Hockenson won't play in Week 5, but if he can return to the practice field with Minnesota this week, he could end up playing for the team in Week 6, which would be a huge win for the team.