Good and Bad News on Vikings Injury Front
After coming away with a dominant victory in Week 1 against the New York Giants, who seem to play for draft position rather than a postseason spot this year, the San Francisco 49ers will come to town for Minnesota’s home opener. Undoubtedly, the Super Bowl runner-ups are a different animal, a real test for Kevin O’Connell and his players.
Good and Bad News on Vikings Injury Front
A key to a successful game is certainly health, but the Vikings are banged up, with multiple players missing at least part of Thursday’s practice.
The Vikings released their injury report.
Let’s start with the good news: Jalen Nailor’s ankle injury is fine. He missed some practice time in the week leading up to the Giants matchup but played in the game. After logging two full practices on Wednesday and Thursday, the wideout is surely on pace to suit up again.
The third-year player has been struggling with injuries throughout his career, but whenever he is on the field, he is a dynamic player who can contribute to the offense. He caught one pass, a 21-yard touchdown.
Andrew Van Ginkel’s return to the practice field is fantastic news. He suffered a significant foot injury late last season, forcing him to miss the entire offseason program, and he started slowly in training camp.
When he appeared on Wednesday’s injury report with a foot injury, fans were understandably concerned. A limited practice on Thursday suggests that there isn’t a real crisis. He’s trending towards playing, but more clarity will arise on Friday. Like Nailor, he also scored a touchdown. The veteran had an outstanding Vikings debut with four tackles, a sack, and a pick-six.
Two starting linemen were limited on Thursday: Garrett Bradbury and Brian O’Neill. The former has been dealing with a knee injury and was also limited on Wednesday. O’Neill is a new name on the injury report with an elbow injury.
The 49ers deploy one of the best defensive lines in all of football, featuring Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd on the outside and Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave as interior defenders. Having all linemen on board is critical for the Vikings.
Harrison Smith showed up on the injury report with a hip injury and didn’t practice on Thursday. Veterans like Smith get days off for minor issues all the time. He should be fine if he can get at least a limited tag on Friday. It is concerning, nevertheless.
Receiver Jordan Addison suffered a new ankle injury in the game a few weeks after sustaining a strained ankle in joint practices. With T.J. Hockenson ineligible to return for another three games, his presence is crucial to take the burden off of Justin Jefferson.
The sophomore is a key piece in Minnesota’s offense. If he can’t go, Nailor will slide into a more significant role, and after missing practice on back-to-back days, Addison should be expected to miss his first NFL game.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt