Kevin O'Connell talks Robert Tonyan injury, Justin Jefferson rest day at Vikings camp
EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Vikings are on Day 8 of training camp at TCO Performance Center, and the pads will go back on for a hot Friday in Eagan.
Before practice, coach Kevin O’Connell gave updates on several players.
Robert Tonyan dealing with low back injury
Robert Tonyan had to be carted off during Wednesday’s practice due to back spasms. The tight end room is already starting to get thin with T.J. Hockenson rehabbing offseason knee surgery. Tonyan came to the Vikings after five seasons with the Green Bay Packers and last year with the Chicago Bears. He has 148 career catches for 1,549 yards and 17 touchdowns.
O’Connell said Tonyan is dealing with a low back issue and hopes to have him back for the preseason. Without him and Hockenson, the available tight ends are Josh Oliver, Johnny Munt, Nick Muse, N’Keal Harry and Trey Knox.
Defensive back room update
The Vikings continue to add depth in the defensive back room after the tragic death of Khyree Jackson, Mekhi Blackmon lost for the season and Shaq Griffin out with a leg injury. The Vikings have added Bobby McCain and Fabian Moreau. McCain and Moreau came in without a ramp-up period and practiced right away in full pads.
"At the very least, you feel good about the numbers to have competitive practices and not tax those guys as they’re all competing," O’Connell said.
Justin Jefferson’s rest day
Wes Phillips took the podium Wednesday and told media not to panic as Justin Jefferson would not be practicing. He was getting a planned rest day. O’Connell on Friday explained that as they want him to have his most efficient and effective camp, coming off his first significant injury.
Jefferson still had 68 catches for 1,074 yards and five touchdowns despite missing seven games in 2023, then got a huge pay day this offseason. Other veterans will get rest days as training camp continues.
"Justin learned a lot through that process post injury. Justin plays a lot of snaps for us, we want to make sure his training camp progression is the right kind of progression coming off a first time for him having the type of injury he had," O’Connell said.
T.J. Hockenson update
O’Connell said Friday he has to remind himself when he watches T.J. Hockenson rehab on a side field during training camp that he had major knee surgery in the offseason. He suffered multiple torn ligaments after taking a hit to the knee from Kerby Joseph.
Hockenson had 95 catches for 960 yards and five touchdowns before the injury. It is unlikely he’ll be ready for Week 1, and the Vikings will not rush him.
"Every time I see him working on the side field it becomes awfully tempting to corner Tyler Williams and demand answers on when we’ll be able to start implementing him," O’Connell said. "I don’t think it would be responsible at this point with where he’s at to starting thinking about ‘are we going to have him, are we not?’ Want him focusing on what he can control, which his daily mission of attacking this thing."