Vikings Fill Up Infirmary, Include 10 Players Among Injured
The Vikings have had no shortage of injury turmoil.
Of course, someone like corner Mekhi Blackmon or quarterback J.J. McCarthy stand out — which is to say nothing of tight end T.J. Hockenson — but they’ve been far from alone in the infirmary. There are plenty of other players on the roster working through various bumps and bruises. The latest injury report includes ten Vikings players, ranging from full participant to did not participate.
Vikings Fill Up Infirmary with 10 Players
The good news: Sam Darnold appears to be just fine.
The QB1 briefly left last week’s game after a low hit from Danielle Hunter. Thankfully, the injury is very minor — just a bruise — and he’s been able to get a full week of work in at practice. He was a full participant on both Wednesday and Thursday.
PFF lists Mr. Darnold as the 7th-best passer with a very healthy 82.3 grade. He has completed 67.9% of his passes for 657 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. In an ideal world, the passing yards can soar a bit higher, but it’s tough to nitpick. Genuinely, Darnold is playing quarterback at a high level.
Similarly encouraging is seeing Dallas Turner as a full participant. The long-and-strong edge rusher has ample upside, so seeing him back on the field will be a boost to both the run and pass defense. Don’t be shocked to see him make a play or two behind the line of scrimmage.
The most discouraging development is that left tackle Christian Darrisaw, linebacker Ivan Pace Jr., defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard, and safety Jay Ward couldn’t participate. Of those four, Darrisaw is the most important. The stud at left tackle can neutralize elite edge rushers, an invaluable ability that helps to keep the offense on the field and moving in the right direction.
Otherwise, the Pace injury news is discouraging, even if his role has been a bit more muted. If there’s no Pace, Kamu Grugier-Hill will get the nod when another linebacker is needed (assuming he’s healthy enough to play). More likely, though, is seeing Josh Metellus again soak up no shortage of snaps. Indeed, Blake Cashman will play a lot as the lonely linebacker while Minnesota shifts into their three-safety look for the vast majority of the game.
And then there are the question marks.
Jordan Addison is limited but has been resting since partway through Week 1, the game he left due to an ankle injury. Getting him back would be a major boost. Josh Oliver, too, is important as both a run blocker and someone who can catch the occasional pass or two.
For the Cheeseheads, it’s all about Jordan Love. Their QB1 is working on overcoming a knee injury but Malik Willis has been doing well in Love’s stead. The Vikings will need to be sharp regardless of who is under center.
Kickoff takes place at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday, September 29th.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and PFF helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter, as a co-host for Notes from the North, and as the proprietor at The Vikings Gazette, a humble Vikings Substack.