Thursday’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings could be a night of returns for both teams. Cooper Kupp is slated to play for the first time since injuring his ankle in Week 2 and on the Vikings’ side, one of their top playmakers could also be back.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday that it’s “very much a possibility” that tight end T.J. Hockenson will make his season debut against the Rams this week. Hockenson has been sidelined since tearing his ACL and MCL late in the 2023 season and he’s already been designated to return, so the Vikings need to activate him sooner than later.
“It’s early. We’ll make that determination kind of as these next couple of days [go by],” O’Connell said. “As we put together game plans, we want to have a good feel for that. But, very much a possibility.”
Adding Hockenson to an offense that already features Justin Jefferson, Aaron Jones, Jordan Addison and Jalen Nailor makes it even more dangerous, which is bad news for the Rams. Los Angeles’ secondary has improved in the last two games but that’s a difficult group to handle.
Last season, Hockenson caught 95 passes for 960 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games, nearly putting up his first 1,000-yard campaign in the NFL. He’s a two-time Pro Bowler, but somehow, he wasn’t selected last season.
