ESPN: "It Appears Hockenson Will Not Be Ready in Time to Start the Regular Season"

[Music] what's going on jeromes Missota fighting Vikings tight end TJ hackinson is a top three tight end in the league and he's he's not three and he's also the logo where I I feel like instead of having him do like the stupid Steve Job schedule debut they should have just had him dress up as the logo it would have been good man but uh of course uh DJ's season was ended early last year because of dirty Kirby Joseph and I'm not saying that Kirby Joseph has the pattern and I understand that Malik neighbors sort of started it in training camp but uh you know the training camp fight where Kirby Joseph is involved shocker shocker man okay it's all right also speaking of Detroit uh I mean not enough is made uh that H that Detroit really aged Hockinson like these two photos were taken like 400 days apart the Lions before Dan Campbell well really Ben Johnson before they got there will definitely Aid you man uh but long story longer T.J Hockinson is going to be a major focal point of this offense for many years to come uh and he's coming back from the ACL and even though he's looked good on the side all all reports are he should be good to go Kevin McConnell's you very bullish on him uh but of course Kevin McConnell and the team respect they do take their time with injuries make sure that a player is 100% before they get back onto the field and TJ Hockinson won't be any different and I understand the frustration especially early it would be nice to have him but he'll be ready when he's ready and it doesn't look like it will be at the start of the Season uh this is from Dan Graziano ESPN did up a really extensive uh notebook talking about the Vikings uh in training camp uh it appears that hackinson will not be ready in time to start the regular season but the team believes it will have him back at some point during the first half of the season the estimates I heard in my reporting range from 3 to seven Miss games the latter of those would keep him out until early November be gone until November as the Vikings have a buy week six now schedule-wise like pinpointed when is's going to come back now he's currently on the pup list now I If he if the Vikings see him missing the first month of the Season uh at least the first four weeks it would make sense to keep him on the pup so he won count against the 53 uh you don't have to burn one of your injured reserve return slots uh because you could return eight uh and you still have to miss four games either way uh so I think that could be so because the thing is like hey if you bring him back after three games but in game four you're only going to play him like 50% of his snaps what's the point just wait for another week so the Vikings schedule wise like it could be a little bit chunky for a return because you know first four games that could be out the window uh if especially if it's on the pup then they could Kickstart uh my heart of him getting back into practice and they have three weeks add him to the 53 or it's like you want his first game to be internationally in London against the Jets then you got the buy I mean the logical return date of course would be dun dun dun dun because NFL is not scripted at all week seven against the Lions and again his former team as well as return to the scene of dirty Kirby Joseph no no big deal no no problem man so uh I again I'm I'm firmly in okon's Camp like they'll bring him back when he's 100% plus I I don't see them bringing hackinson back when he's going to be like like 30% or he's going to play a certain U you know percentage of a snaps some uh small Suite of plays where he'll just be out there no when hackinson will be back like he'll be back in the normal normal hackinson role and hackinson like last year was a career season man like he before he got injured he was on Pace for 100,000 season uh truly one of the best tight ends uh in the National Football League right now uh and even though hackinson up on blocks of Vikings do have some extremely good tight end depth Oliver the mountain blocking tight end could be used a little bit more in the Red Zone Johnny mutz looked really good in Camp man and there's a reason why the coaches like they love him they're loyal to him uh the cross paths with the Rams uh and also last year after Hockinson went down it it was Mont uh taking up a lot of the receiving work and you could see him doing that early on in the season as well and again a little fancy things like you know if hackinson up on blocks grab him late and grab uh Johnny Mt uh as a free agent or you know one of the last round picks and just stream him for the first couple weeks wouldn't be terrible uh and also you know Nick Muse has been rising up as well uh Nick Muse Trey Knox and even Samus Reyes been on the receiving end of a couple great uh JJ McCarthy touchdowns uh in 11 11 and 7 and seven nille Harry a converted receiver tight end we'll see also he got dinged up a couple days ago plus Robert tanion so at the start of training camp you would say that Robert tan was a mortal lock to make this roster but now who knows uh because he's been dealing with back spasms and sucks to say but it it does go back to the whole Zimmer thing can't make the club in the tub antonion uh had a great OTA great mandatory mini camp but now like he he's stuck because all these other guys have been healthy on the practice field and have done some good work but we'll see they're hoping to get him back uh at some point in the preseason but uh like like we said with hackinson you know he's back when he's back right I didn't expect him to start the season frankly for roster construction wise it would make sense to have him on the pup and then free up one of those 53 man spots especially if he's going to be missing multiple weeks anyway uh just get him to 100% or even 110% and just be super confident that you can just let it rip uh when he does uh get out there again but your thoughts are thoughts uh update on TJ hackinson injury stat as he's coming back from torn ACL MCL uh let us know in the comment section below subscribe for daily Vikings takes once sport the work put a little something in the venmo but until next time skull production value