The Pair of Vikings Wild Cards as Week 7 Nears
Very reasonably, a pile of the attention rests on what’s taking place at quarterback. Whoever slots into the QB1 job is going to be playing the starring role for the drama that’s going to unfold.
Less consequential but still important are a pair of Vikings who are slotting into supporting jobs. More specifically, there’s the status of edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel alongside right tackle Brian O’Neill. The veterans are working through a neck injury (Van Ginkel) and a knee injury (O’Neill). Any chance Minnesota can welcome them back for what appears to be a very difficult matchup against the Eagles in Week 7?
The Pair of Vikings Wild Cards
Edge Rusher Andrew Van Ginkel & Right Tackle Brian O’Neill
The good news is that several players are trending in a positive direction.
In particular, one thinks of LB1 Blake Cashman, LG1 Donovan Jackson, and C2 Michael Jurgens. Just seeing those three — a pair of starters alongside a primary backup — worked back into the mix would be huge. Not like getting a starting quarterback, no, but still very important. Is there anyone else who can get back onto the field in time for the Philadelphia game?
O’Neill is basically irreplaceable, operating at a level where whoever steps into the opening can’t replicate the level of play on a weekly basis. Sure, Justin Skule appears to be better along the right side, but eventually the issues up front are going to catch up with Minnesota.
Standing at 6’7″ and weighing 310 pounds, Brian O’Neill is a gifted athlete who has a meanness in the trenches that overflows from a strong compete level. He has allowed 1 sack alongside 3 pressures in 2025, a pretty tidy report card given some of the struggles on offense.
Kevin O’Connell spoke to the media on Monday. Several Vikings are getting healthier, allowing them to step onto the practice field. Brian O’Neill is among the Vikings who are getting back onto the grass to progress toward getting into the game on Sunday.
Note that O’Neill tried to get back onto the field in Week 4 when he hurt his knee. Maybe that would have been foolish, but the mere fact that it was a possibility suggests that the player believed he hadn’t suffered a season-ending injury or something similarly dire.
Meanwhile, the other side of the ball would be aided greatly by seeing Andrew Van Ginkel back into the mix.
The edge rusher best embodies one of Minnesota’s most coveted trait — versatility — with his ability to get after the passer, defend the run, drop into coverage, and so on.
Unfortunately, O’Connell wasn’t super clear with his update about this star edge rusher. The head coach was upbeat and positive (as per usual) but couldn’t offer anything in terms of a firm timeline for Van Ginkel being available.
At this stage, seeing Van Ginkel on the field in Week 7 would hit as a surprise.
Coming off a sizzling 2024, Van Ginkel earned a beefy one-year extension during the offseason. His initial contract was for two seasons sitting at a total of $20 million. He had a single year tacked onto the original contract, fully earning the $23 million that got attached.
The defender’s 2025 has involved getting into just a pair of games. He has snagged 7 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 QB hit, and 2 passes defended. There’s a very persuasive case to be made that Van Ginkel is the Vikings’ second-best player (after Justin Jefferson).
As the week progresses, keep an eye on the status of Brian O’Neill alongside Andrew Van Ginkel. Best guess is that O’Neill has a decent chance while Van Ginkel isn’t looking likely.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
