Vikings insider shares insight on return timeline of T.J. Hockenson injury

The Minnesota Vikings aren't just 3-0 and top five in the latest NFL power rankings , they are playing short-handed. They have been without starting wide receiver Jordan Addison for the last two weeks and also played without inside linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. and outside linebacker Dallas Turner.

Those players don't even include tight end T.J. Hockenson who started the season on the physically unable to perform list after suffering a torn ACL last Christmas Eve. He had surgery on January 26th and the Vikings are eagerly awaiting his return.

Insider talks T.J. Hockenson's return timeline

Head coach Kevin O'Connell wasn't very descriptive when asked about Hockenson's potential return, instead deferring to the medical staff.

"Yeah, I'll continue to defer to the medical staff on that, hoping to get T.J. up and rolling as soon as possible. And he's done everything we asked. He's itching to get out there. He's asking great questions and meetings. He's helping with that tight end group, really just, I felt a leadership role through him. From him throughout his whole rehab, he's been totally present, almost to the point where sometimes, you know, other than not having a really great player on Sundays, he's so involved, you know, in the meeting room with his teammates"

It's difficult to judge when Hockenson will return, especially since he had to wait until January 26th to have surgery due to damage to his MCL. All reports are that he looks great when he is on the practice fields working off to the side but playing it safe is probably the best route. On the latest Minnesota Sports with Mackey and Judd, local insider for SKOR North Darren Wolfson talked about how he thinks the Hockenson timeline will play out.

"I'll still be surprised. Phil, as good as he has looked, I'll be surprised if he's playing that first weekend in October in London. I just look at the math, okay, so he undergoes surgery in late January. It's just so rare to come back, whatever that is, eight months to go back and perform. I wonder about the field surface there in London. That is something to consider. I just think with the bye, the way it was strategically placed, now if the bye was week nine or week 10, aybe we have a different conversation. And I'm just telling you I think it's more like October 20 at home game against Detroit, where we see TJ, not October 6 in London."

It shouldn't be much of a surprise that Hockenson likely won't return until after the bye week. the Vikings should especially be careful with Hockenson because they are 3-0 and aren't in must-win mode. Plus, they have two wins of 22+ points already this season.

Hockenson is going to be crucial for the Vikings to have down the stretch and making sure they have him is important. After this Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, the Vikings can activate Hockenson's practice window. That will give them 21 days for Hockenson to practice without being on the active roster.

Related: Aaron Jones' return to Lambeau Field highlight biggest storylines in Vikings vs. Packers Week 4 matchup