T.J. Hockenson Injury: Lions Reveal New Timetable for Tight End

T.J. Hockenson

Getty T.J. Hockenson plays on Thanksgiving Day.

The Detroit Lions have lost yet another player to injury in 2019, and this one is a key rookie offensive piece.

Monday, Matt Patricia revealed that tight end T.J. Hockenson will be heading to injured reserve which effectively ends his season. The rookie went down late in the game against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving with an ugly looking leg injury and left the stadium in a walking boot. Now, Hockenson gets shut down for the final four games of the 2019 season.

As Patricia went on to say, it’s not yet known if Hockenson will need surgery for the injury.

A native of Chariton, Iowa, Hockenson was Detroit’s first round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He played well out of the gate and managed to put up 367 yards and 2 touchdowns so far this season. Known so far for his blocking more than his hands, Hockenson still managed to have decent pass catching stats while being tough up front. In the pre-draft process, that’s what he was lauded mostly for. When transitioning to the NFL, he showed those traits at times for the team.


Who Steps up for T.J. Hockenson

Now that Hockenson is forced out with injury, the Lions are at the very least covered with veteran Jesse James, even as the tight end has been seldom used this season after he signed as a free agent. Detroit also has converted quarterback Logan Thomas at their disposal, and he has been playing well lately. They have also elevated fellow rookie Isaac Nauta to the roster, even though he hasn’t gotten much time this season in a starting role.

Hockenson is a key player for the team, but the Lions at the very least have plenty of options at their disposal now they know that he cannot go the rest of the way. Missing this time will hurt his development, but there are players the team can count on to fill space.


T.J. Hockenson’s Role With Lions

There is simply no understating the importance of Hockenson to the Lions right now during the year. The team isn’t getting anything from any of the other tight ends on their roster, and while he hasn’t had the most dramatic statistical impact, Hockenson has easily been the team’s top rookie in 2019 and a player capable of impacting both the run and the passing games.

Thus far this season, many fans have been chiding Hockenson for not making a bigger impact on the game. He has only collected 2 touchdowns on the year which is not the statistical impact that many people expected from him as a top 10 selection for the team. Even in spite of that, he still looks like a good piece for the team.

Safe to say if Hockenson was able to play near the end of the game last week, things could have ended up a bit different. While Lions fans likely hoped he wasn’t injured seriously, now, the reality is they will have no choice but to wait and see how Hockenson looks in 2020.

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