The Vikings’ Injury Report is a Monster, Listing Double-Digit Players
The Vikings’ injury report is lengthy, to say the least.
After the fact, edge rusher Dallas Turner got tossed into the mix due to an issue with his knee. Adding Turner officially meant that Minnesota was listing ten players on their opening injury report. Not great, especially since Minnesota is scraping and clawing to earn the NFC’s top spot and (if successful) an opening-round bye in the playoffs.
The Vikings’ Injury Report is a Monster
The good news is that we’re talking about the Wednesday update. A lot can change in the coming days.
Plus, a pair of players were full participants at practice. Starting corner Stephon Gilmore was able to get a full day of work in, suggesting that the veteran is back from his hamstring issue. Re-inserting him into the defense will help, especially since Seattle boasts a top trio of receivers. Moreover, tight end Josh Oliver — a blocking bully extraordinaire — was a full participant.
The other extreme is the two players who did not participate: corner Fabian Moreau and defensive tackle Jalen Redmond.
Moreau picked up some criticism for some rough reps against the Cardinals but the veteran hasn’t played too bad. He’s a capable tackler and generally offers pretty sticky coverage. As a CB4, teams could do a lot worse. The hope is that he’ll be ready for Week 16. If he isn’t, Dwight “Nudie” McGlothern will be the next man up.
Redmond has recently jumped into the starting lineup. The 3T has great speed and strength, allowing him to get penetration with regularity. No doubt, his presence will be missed if he can’t bounce back from his concussion in time for Week 16. Next up would be rookie DT Levi Drake Rodriguez, someone who has a lot of fans inside TCO Performance Center but who hasn’t had much of a role in 2024.
Finally, consider the half dozen players who were limited. There’s edge rusher Dallas Turner, edge rusher Patrick Jones II, right tackle Brian O’Neill, defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, swing tackle David Quessenberry, and safety Harrison Smith.
To be sure, there’s good reason to be monitoring their collective status as the week progresses, but the expectation should be that all of these players are available for Week 16. Minnesota is battling for the top spot in the conference, a reality that often inspires players to dig deep.
Minnesota’s Week 16 game takes place in Seattle at Lumen Field. Pulling off the win would mean that the Vikings continue to control their own destiny within the NFC North. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:05 CT.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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.
