Copyright CBS Sports
Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said Tuesday that Jones (hamstring) has been designated for return from injured reserve, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports. After spending the past five weeks on IR and missing the requisite four games while recovering from a hamstring strain, Jones is eligible to resume practicing with the Vikings this week. Though Jones didn't appear Monday on the Vikings' first injury report of Week 8, he looks set to take part in Tuesday's walk-through as Minnesota prepares for Thursday's game against the Chargers. O'Connell is leaving the door open for Jones to be reinstated from IR ahead of Thursday's contest, but the team's lack of traditional practices leading up the game could make it difficult for the 30-year-old to demonstrate that he's made a full recovery from the hamstring injury. The Vikings will have a 21-day window to assess Jones' health, so even if he remains out Thursday, he could be added back to the 53-man roster at any point over the next three weeks. Whenever he's reinstated, Jones will likely be deployed in a timeshare out of the backfield with Jordan Mason.
