How Much More Can the Vikings Take in the Way of Injuries?
It’s been a war of attrition for the Minnesota Vikings, and we’re only through four games. They have already lost the starting quarterback, and in relation to that, they are now down three starting offensive linemen. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah saw where the problem was last season, and he attacked the trenches. None of it has gone right, though.
The Minnesota Vikings’ offensive line continues to take body blows week after week, and they simply cannot sustain this level of injury.
The Minnesota Vikings spent a significant amount on the interior, and they used a first-round pick on a guard. It was a recipe for success, and both Will Fries and Ryan Kelly came with a track record of performance. If there was something to be cautious of, it was injury history, but this seems unavoidable.
Brian O’Neill Is the Latest among Key Vikings Injuries
Fries and Kelly both were hurt last season. Thus far — and you’d better knock on some wood — Fries has remained healthy. Kelly’s injuries this season have both been to his brain. Having suffered his fourth and fifth documented concussions in a matter of four weeks, one has to worry about his long-term future both this season and beyond.
It’s difficult to suggest that Kelly, having previously suffered a concussion, was a red flag in the same vein that having had surgery somewhere might have been. He plays a position in which his head is impacted every play, and there’s no telling how problematic one impact may be over the other.
Donovan Jackson was drafted after a successful college career. A random wrist injury required surgery, even after he was able to play through the pain for a week. Brian O’Neill has previously missed time, but it has been minimal at best. A sprained MCL is far from the worst-case outcome, but with everything else, it puts Minnesota in a massive bind.
Now down three starters, the Vikings will be forced to roll with Blake Brandel, Michael Jurgens, and Justin Skule in their place. Skule has already proven to be among the worst tackles in the league while filling in for Christian Darrisaw early, and Jurgens is a significant downgrade from Kelly’s Pro Bowl resume.
At this point, the rate at which the Vikings are losing linemen has simply become untenable. They need some good news and to make it through a game with a clean bill of health. There’s a bye week on the other side of Sunday’s London contest against the Browns. Getting there with the roster intact is a must.
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