Vikings injury updates on T.J. Hockenson, Ryan Kelly, Josh Metellus

Kevin O'Connell provided injury updates on a few players ahead of Monday night's practice.

Jul 29, 2025; Eagan, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson (87) takes part in drills during the teams training camp at the Minnesota Vikings Training Facility. | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Ahead of the Vikings' annual night practice on Monday, head coach Kevin O'Connell provided injury updates on a few key players.

Tight end T.J. Hockenson, center Ryan Kelly, and safety Josh Metellus are all "dealing with some day-to-day, normal training camp bumps and bruises," O'Connell said. "No issues whatsoever there, but you're not going to see any of those three guys tonight."

Hockenson sat out the remainder of Saturday's practice after appearing to suffer a slight lower-body injury. O'Connell called it "a hip, leg, back, whatever you want to classify it as," which doesn't exactly narrow it down too much. "Once again, I'm not a doctor, I wouldn't even be able to pronounce whatever (VP of player health and performance) Tyler (Williams) told me," he said.

The important thing to note is that O'Connell expects Hockenson to be back at practice this week. He said the team's recent signing of veteran tight end Nick Vannett was not related to Hockenson's injury, but was more about not having rookie TE Gavin Bartholomew, who continues to work through a significant back injury.

Metellus has been dealing with a minor "ankle, foot" injury over the course of camp.

"It's just a little soreness there," O'Connell said. "He's been able to practice with almost no limitations, he's just had a little soreness (after) the work and is able to work through it, but this time of the year, with the type of workload he's already been able to put in early on here, we feel good about getting him a couple days to let it settle down and then hopefully we can put it behind us."

As for Kelly, the Vikings' new starting center, he's dealing with an "elbow thing, got a little stretched out the wrong way," O'Connell said. "He'll be fine."

Tight ends Ben Yurosek, Giovanni Ricci, and Vannett, safeties Theo Jackson and Jay Ward, and center Michael Jurgens figure to get more first-team reps due to those three injuries.

In addition to Hockenson, Kelly, and Metellus, safety Harrison Smith and defensive tackle Jonathan Allen have planned off days and won't practice on Monday night either.