Injury Bug Hits Vikings Hard Ahead of Sunday’s Game
The 1-0 Minnesota Vikings escaped Chicago with a victory, but between the first and the second game are only six days. That lack of recovery time might have played a role in this week’s beefy injury report, as the purple squad has a lengthy list of injured guys early in the season.
3 Vikings Starters (Plus More) Set to Miss Sunday’s Bout
Of the usual starters, at least three players will be out.
Blake Cashman
Linebacker Cashman suffered a hamstring injury on one of the many times the defense tried to chase down Bears quarterback Caleb Williams. He left the game and didn’t return. A few days after the opener, the club placed the second-year Viking on IR, which rules him out for at least four games. After those four contests, the Vikings will have their bye week, and that reality could help him be back for the sixth game of the season against the Eagles.
Veteran Eric Wilson will join Ivan Pace Jr. in the starting lineup. He has the experience to run Brian Flores’ defense and made some nice plays in the first game of his second stint with the franchise, but Cashman is hard to replace. Sione Takitaki was signed to the practice squad, and he provides some experienced depth.
Andrew Van Ginkel
Of the Vikings’ elite edge-rushing duo, only Jonathan Greenard will be available in Week 2. His partner in crime, Van Ginkel, suffered a concussion in the season opener. He has yet to clear concussion protocol, which was unlikely to begin with in a short week.
The obvious replacement is second-year defender Dallas Turner, who was drafted with a first-round pick a year ago. It would be his first career start and the first time he could log the snap numbers of a starter.
Christian Darrisaw
Star left tackle Darrisaw remains out for the second game of the season. He suffered a torn ACL last October and has yet to make it back to the playing field. However, he has practiced enough to be considered close. This week, Darrisaw logged one full practice and two limited practices, without any rest days.
Barring any surprise changes, Justin Skule will continue to handle the left tackle duties. Alternatives are sophomore sixth-rounder Walter Rouse and veteran Blake Brandel, who played guard in the last two seasons but entered the league as a tackle. Skule’s Week 1 performance didn’t elevate his job security.
Harrison Smith Remains in Question
Safety Smith has played in nearly 200 games with the Minnesota Vikings, but he was sidelined for Week 1 with a personal health matter. He’s now ramping up his conditioning, but he is listed as questionable. Smith’s presence is always appreciated, but it’s even more critical with Cashman having to sit out, to ensure strong communication.
If he’s back, Theo Jackson’s number of snaps will dip, and Jay Ward would likely drop out of the defensive rotation. A part-time comeback is possible, too.
Honorary Starter Jeff Okudah
Cornerback Okudah is technically not quite a starter, but as the third cornerback, he’s a quasi-starter. Like Van Ginkel, he landed in concussion protocol. The newcomer suffered a concussion on the final play of the game. In Friday’s practice, he participated in a non-contact jersey.
No Okudah means the depth will be tested. Dwight McGlothern is the only backup cornerback on the roster, but one of Zemaiah Vaughn or Fabian Moreau will be a gameday call-up from the practice squad.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.