Vikings Make Key Roster Move Official
The Minnesota Vikings have been haunted by injuries throughout the 2025 campaign, but this week, the reinforcements are arriving. Carson Wentz will make his fourth start, but this time, he’ll play behind a potentially bolstered offensive line. The signs point towards Donovan Jackson making his comeback after undergoing wrist surgery, and Brian O’Neill could return in time to face the Eagles’ underwhelming pass-rush.
Vikings Make Key Roster Move Official
On defense, coordinator Brian Flores will have to enter another game without Andrew Van Ginkel, but his return could be nearing, as he participated in practice to some extent despite his neck injury.
Better news has surfaced on the Blake Cashman front. A hamstring injury forced him to sit out the last four games. The linebacker was stashed on IR after picking up the injury in Week 1. On Saturday, the Vikings activated him from IR, and he’ll return to the lineup against the Eagles and Jalen Hurts.
That’s great timing, as Philadelphia has one of the most talented running games in the business. Although it hasn’t clicked this season, it’s only a matter of time until the excellent offensive line and Saquon Barkley explode on a Sunday.
The Vikings, meanwhile, have struggled to stop the run this season, and Cashman is primed to make a difference. He led the Vikings in tackles last season despite missing three games. Furthermore, Cashman is a complete linebacker with strong coverage and rushing skills, making him the perfect heart of the defense.
Cashman will also return to his play-calling job. He’ll wear the green dot helmet, meaning he’ll relay Flores’s play calls to his teammates and call audibles. Backup Eric Wilson replaced Cashman on the field, but also in that role.
On Tuesday, Flores praised his free-agency acquisition from 19 months ago: “He’s a big part of what we do defensively,” Flores said. “From a communication standpoint, from just an athleticism, football acumen, keeping other guys in right positions, leadership. He does a great job.”
The linebacker signed a three-year deal in 2024, when the Vikings poached him from the Houston Texans. The Eden Prairie native and University of Minnesota alumnus recorded 112 tackles and 4.5 sacks in his first season with the purple squad.
The defender said earlier this week, “I feel great. Through the past four weeks, I’ve had to be patient, get the leg right, but when you get to be able to be back on the grass with your brothers, you start feeling like yourself again.”
Injuries have slowed down the former fifth-rounder’s career, but when healthy, Cashman is one of the league’s best linebackers. The Vikings are nearly unbeatable when he’s available, posting a ridiculous record of 13-1 with him, but only a 4-4 win-loss number without him.
Cashman added, “The trainers, the whole strength staff, performance staff, they did a wonderful job. It was really important to get with them the first day and kind of go over a plan for the past month to make sure my health is straight and the hammy’s bulletproof, so I can go out there with 110 percent confidence and go play to the best of my abilities.”
Expect number 51 to fly around on Sunday and make life harder for Barkley and Hurts.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.