The Minnesota Vikings have been eagerly awaiting the return of their starting tight end TJ Hockenson. Ahead of the team’s game with the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. Hockenson has been out of football after tearing his ACL and MCL against the Detroit Lions on Christmas Eve of 2024. He has been on the Physically Unable To Perform list since. It was announced on Thursday afternoon that he was downgraded to Out for the game.
This injury is eerily to the one sustained by Rams tight end Tyler Higbee. Both tore their ACL and MCL against the Lions late in the football calendar. Higbee was injured on January 14th in the NFC Wild Card matchup and has been on the PUP so far this year.
TJ Hockenson Ruled Out Vs. Rams
Last season, Hockenson was the team’s top target, with 127, and led the team in receptions (95) and had the team’s second-most yards (960) and touchdowns (5). The Vikings have played former Ram Johnny Mundt in his stead, who has not proven to be the dynamic threat that Hockenson is.
Mundt has caught 13 passes for 83 yards and one touchdown while playing over 63 percent of the team’s snaps. They also have Josh Oliver at the position, who plays on over half the offensive snaps, but he operates more as an inline blocking tight end.
The Rams have had several bad games against pass-catching tight ends. They gave up 93 yards to the otherworldly rookie Brock Bowers and 88 the previous game to the Green Bay Packers’ Tucker Kraft. Not having to defend against Hockenson will help LA, who are attempting to game plan around wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
Both receivers are able to play on the outside or out of the slot. The team has struggled to defend the slot now that Quentin Lake has moved back to full-time safety and the undrafted rookie, Josh Wallace has moved into Lake’s vacated nickel role in Week 5 against the Green Bay Packers.