T.J. Hockenson saw his first full Vikings season cut short by ACL and MCL tears. The Pro Bowl tight end will begin training camp on the active/PUP list as he continues to rehab, the team announced on Monday. 
That move comes as little surprise. The injury occurred in December, and more than one month elapsed before Hockenson’s surgery took place. Players placed on the active/PUP list can be activated at any time, but Minnesota will no doubt proceed with caution regarding his recovery. Hockenson’s rehab process has been positive to date, though.
“T.J. will begin training camp on the PUP list,” head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed when speaking to the media on Monday (video link). “He’s well ahead of schedule from a standpoint of some of the benchmarks on his rehab. T.J., looking back at the offseason program, did not miss really a day outside going to see his surgeon in Los Angeles. He was here every single day and that continued through the summer.
“The significant injury that it was, we want to make sure to follow our plan to when T.J. gets on the field and continues to do more and more throughout training camp, and hopefully at some point when he’s ready to go we want to make sure everything is done the right way for T.J., because he’s such a significant part of our organization.”
Upon trading for Hockenson midway through the 2022 season, Minnesota has seen the expected return from a production standpoint. The 27-year-old signed an extension last August averaging $16.5MM per season, and he posted a 95-960-5 statline in 15 games prior to the injury. Hockenson is under contract through 2027, so his long-term health is an obvious priority for team and player in his case. As things stand, though, he could find himself back on the field earlier than expected.