Vikings Release Some Good News Ahead of Week 1
Injuries have been a significant problem for the Minnesota Vikings this year, with J.J. McCarthy missing his rookie season after tearing his meniscus and requiring a season-ending repair. Tight end T.J. Hockenson has been rehabbing his knee injury suffered in Week 16 of 2023 and will be out for at least the first four games of the season because the Vikings have kept him on the PUP list.
Vikings Release Some Good News Ahead of Week 1
The injury list also includes cornerback Mekhi Blackmon, who tragically suffered a torn ACL during the first practice session of training camp.
When the Vikings traveled to Cleveland for their joint practices, and the McCarthy news was still fresh, wideout Jordan Addison was carted off the field after spraining his ankle. Earlier this week, Jalen Nailor joined him on the sidelines with an ankle injury.
Both were listed as limited participants on Wednesday and Thursday. Their outlook changed positively on Friday, as neither has drawn an injury designation for Sunday’s matchup. Addison and Nailor will play.
Addison claimed on Thursday that he would be healthy on Sunday, but now it’s officially confirmed.
In addition to Nailor’s and Addison’s availability, no other Viking will miss the game besides the previously mentioned players; plus, there’s Dalton Risner and Gabriel Murphy, who were placed on IR last month. They are eligible to return after Week 4.
The entire 53-man roster is good to go.
Addison’s presence is good news for the whole offense, as now the Giants can’t solely focus on Justin Jefferson. The sophomore has the talent to punish a shaky Giants secondary if they send too many bodies Jefferson’s way.
In his rookie season, the first-rounder out of USC and Pittsburgh produced 911 receiving yards on 70 catches, adding ten touchdowns to the scoreboard. He shined early in his career as a popular deep threat, catching some dimes from Kirk Cousins.
Once Jefferson got hurt, however, he was asked to step into a more versatile role, carrying the offense with Hockenson.
Fellow receiver Nailor could be another key piece in Kevin O’Connell’s passing attack. He was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 draft out of Michigan State. In his rookie season, he was buried on the depth chart behind Jefferson and his running mates Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn but still flashed some potential late in the season.
A strong offseason program in 2023 was followed by an injury-plagued sophomore campaign in which he barely played a role on offense, catching only three passes throughout the year. This time, however, he has finally managed to stay healthy (the scare of the recent days aside) and is ready to claim a significant role as a pass catcher.
Hockenson is out, and Cousins was replaced by Sam Darnold’s signing, which is quite uninspiring. However, the Vikings hope he can finally develop in a good environment and pair his undeniable arm talent with a more mature decision-making process.
Crucial for that next step is certainly O’Connell’s explosive offensive strategy that helped Joshua Dobbs and Nick Mullens to some explosive days (turnovers aside), but also the help of the receivers. Having Nailor and Addison available is a major boost for the team’s Week 1 outlook.
The Vikings are slight favorites on the road.
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