Team news: Minnesota Vikings

Sam Darnold has played well enough to leave the Vikings more open-minded about their 2025 plans than many realize, according to sources familiar with the Vikings' thinking. They have not ruled out offering him a contract for next season, despite widespread assumptions they will let him sign elsewhere in free agency and hand the job to J.J. McCarthy, who has spent his rookie season recovering from a torn meniscus in his right knee.

Related players: Daniel Jones

The story added the Vikings have also prepared to move on from Darnold, especially if he receives a more lucrative offer from another QB-needy team. Darnold agreed to wear a modified camera on his helmet during practices and walk-throughs to help McCarthy during his recovery process, the story said. McCarthy uses the video to simulate practice reps via virtual reality. The Vikings also signed Jones, who was released by the Giants, to their practice squad last month, a move widely viewed as an early look at a potential candidate to replace Darnold next season as the veteran alongside McCarthy.

The Vikings have started the clock on getting a couple of special teamers back in the lineup.

The team announced on Tuesday that kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola have been designated for return from injured reserve.

Related players: Parker Romo

Romo has gone 11-of-12 on field goals and 7-of-8 on extra points with Reichard out of the lineup. It's not yet clear which kicker will be in action this week. The Vikings are in the early Sunday window at home against the Falcons.

Former Giants QB Daniel Jones plans to sign with the Vikings practice squad, after having cleared waivers, per me, @TomPelissero and @CameronWolfe.

A new beginning and opportunity for Jones with a chance to the backup.

Related Players: Sam Darnold, Nick Mullens, Brett Rypien

This seems like a great signing for both parties; Jones breathes new life into his NFL career and the Vikings have a legit backup in case anything happens to Darnold. We'll see if KOC can work his magic on Jones and revive a career that was heading in a terrible direction.

T.J. Hockenson said this week that "I would expect things to go up" in terms of snaps moving forward. Certainly a possibility Sunday if Josh Oliver (ankle) can't play.

Seifert also noted that Hockenson's snap rate is down at 45.5% after hitting 79.5% last season. The tight end has a decent matchup against the Chicago Bears in Week 12, making him a low-end TE1 option.

Vikings QB Sam Darnold (right hand), RB Aaron Jones (ribs) and LT Cam Robinson (foot) are all off the injury report and good to go vs. the Titans.

Related Players: Cam Akers, Ty Chandler

With Jones fully off the injury report, he can be considered an RB2 in Week 11, while Darnold should be benched in place of a QB streamer in almost all formats.

Vikings K Will Reichard, one of the NFL's best, is headed to IR.

Related players: John Parker Romo

The Vikings are signing Romo, the post went on to say. Romo is a former undrafted free agent with the Saints. The post added Romo was with Minnesota this offseason and will now make his debut.

Vikings downgraded TE T.J. Hockenson to out for tonight’s game against the Rams. Hockenson’s return from a major knee injury 10 months ago now will wait.

Vikings officially will activate Hockenson on Friday and the plan is for him to play next week vs. the Colts, per source.

Related Players: Johnny Mundt

Just one more week until we can fire Hock back into lineups as a TE1.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones does not have an injury designation for TNF against the Rams. That's big.

Related Players: Ty Chandler

This is a good-to-great matchup for Jones, and he should be considered an RB1 heading into Thursday Night Football.

The Vikings are officially listing TE T.J. Hockenson as questionable for tomorrow's game against the Rams.

Related Players: Johnny Mundt

It's a great sign for Hockenson and the Vikings offense, but exercise caution in his first game back. If he plays, it could very well be on a limited basis.

With the Vikings playing the Rams on Thursday night, it stands to reason that T.J. Hockenson will be activated this week. But head coach Kevin O’Connell did not commit to the tight end playing when asked about him and guard Dalton Risner — who is also returning from a back injury — on Monday.

“It’s early. We’ll make that determination kind of as these next couple of days [go by],” O’Connell said in his news conference. “As we put together game plans, we want to have a good feel for that. But, very much a possibility.”

The Vikings have been methodical in bringing back Hockenson from the torn ACL and MCL he suffered late last season. But his 21-day practice window is coming to a close, the story pointed out. Hock would be a nice boost for the Vikings and their offense. Even if he plays on Thursday, it would remain to be seen how much he's on the field and if he's on any kind of a pitch count, so it may be best to "wait-and-see" before putting him right in fantasy lineups for his first game back.