Kevin O’Connell Gives Update on Vikings Injuries
Josh Frey
|
With the Vikings veteran players reporting to training camp on Tuesday, head coach Kevin O’Connell went to the podium to discuss some of the recent happenings within the Vikings organization.
We found out through this press conference that, while Danielle Hunter may not be a participant in practices early on, he has indeed reported to camp. In addition, O’Connell gave a few updates on some of the Vikings injuries heading into the first practice on Wednesday. Here is a recap of what he had to say, but you can also find his full press conference down below:
Andre Carter/Chris Reed Updates
Ahead of training camp’s beginning the Minnesota Vikings opted to put OLB Andre Carter on the PUP list while IOL Chris Reed hit the NFI list. However, it must be kept in mind that both players can be removed from the lists at any time, since their placement happened prior to the first practice.
O’Connell did not seem to be concerned about either injury, though. “[Carter] sustained a soft-tissue injury training this summer. Hopefully that’s something that we can pull him off of in the not-too-distant future and have him start practicing.”
Carter, an undrafted free agent that Minnesota signed this spring, spent his collegiate years at Army where he was an uber-productive pass-rusher, recording 14.5 sacks during the 2021 season. Rarely is an UDFA expected to make the final roster, but given the contract that Minnesota handed him, the team seems to have high hopes for what he can do at the NFL level.
As for Reed, O’Connell explained that the interior offensive lineman “sustained a non-football injury away from the facility, a lower-leg injury, we’re hoping that he’s not that far behind Andre to get going.”
Reed was signed by the Vikings during the 2022 offseason, and he spent portions of the final two weeks of the regular season playing center after both Garrett Bradbury and Austin Schlottmann suffered injuries.
Brian O’Neill Won’t Begin Camp on PUP
O’Connell also announced that right tackle Brian O’Neill will not begin training camp on the PUP list, meaning that he is available to practice right away. This is fabulous news for the right tackle after he left last season’s Week 17 game against the Green Bay Packers with a partial Achilles tear.
O’Connell explained, “Brian O’Neill will not be on PUP, but we will continue a predetermined plan for him that allows him to really progress towards the ultimate goal, which has always been September 10th against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.”
O’Neill along with Christian Darrisaw form one of the better offensive tackle duos in the NFL, so if the Vikings right tackle is able to get himself back by Week 1 from that Achilles injury, it should be considered great success by both himself and the Vikings training staff through this rehab.
The Vikings will take the field for their first official training camp practice on Wednesday.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.