Vikings Might Be Unrecognizable in 11 Days
The Minnesota Vikings team you watched defeat the Cleveland Browns in London last weekend may not feel like the same club in 11 days when the Philadelphia Eagles roll into town.
The Minnesota Vikings next play football in 11 days, and when they return, the vibe will likely feel totally different from their last win in England.
Minnesota is on track to feature a “new” quarterback, left guard, and off-ball linebacker. And those men could make a significant difference.
Injured Vikings Begin to Trickle Back into the Lineup
The injury pain will ease as early as October 19th.
J.J. McCarthy Trending to Start
The Vikings lost J.J. McCarthy in Week 2 during a forgettable and horrendous showing against the Atlanta Falcons. McCarthy suffered a high ankle sprain, finished the game, and would be ruled out for a few games, at least, the day after.
Carson Wentz has filled in for McCarthy and guided the purple team to a 2-1 record.
Now, however, McCarthy will resume practice and begin a ramp-up to Week 7, which is 11 days from now, and presumably start at quarterback, barring any setbacks.
Fans watched as Wentz played decently for three games, never carrying the team on his back while also not singlehandedly losing contests for Minnesota. McCarthy may be given a similar task upon returning, but with his youth and upside in play, Vikings football will feel rather different with him under center than with a wily veteran in Wentz.
Blake Cashman, Donovan Jackson to Practice
McCarthy will undoubtedly fetch the most eyeballs, and rightfully so: QB1 is the most visible spot on a football field.
But underneath, the Vikings are on track to welcome linebacker Blake Cashman back from a hamstring injury, a man whom some consider the heart and soul of Brian Flores’ fierce defense. Head coach Kevin O’Connell said that Cashman would practice next week, which felt like a hint at Week 7 game-readiness.
Meanwhile, rookie Donovan Jackson is on the Cashmanian path to practice, too. By a rookie’s standards, Jackson played well in the season’s first three games, and let’s face it, Minnesota needs all the help it can get in the trenches after injuries have attempted to ruin everything.
An offensive line of Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Blake Brandel, Will Fries, and Justin Skule suddenly doesn’t sound half-bad.
Starting quarterback? Check. Heart and soul of the defense? Check. Rookie 1st-Rounder? Check.
All those checks seem to be on their way back.
Win Over Browns Occurred without 7 Starters
In London, the Vikings pulled off a four-point win over one of the NFL’s best defenses without these starters:
— Blake Cashman
— Donovan Jackson
— Ryan Kelly
— Aaron Jones
— J.J. McCarthy
— Brian O’Neill
— Andrew Van Ginkel
The next step will be for Minnesota to get Jones, O’Neill, and Van Ginkel back in the lineup. Then it can really cook with gas.
Eagles Bring Huge Test
The next opponent? Shield your eyes.
The Vikings will take on the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles, a club that just suffered its first loss of 2025 against the Denver Broncos.
The Eagles’ roster drips from head to toe with talent, and even though the game will be at home, it would be quite stunning if the Vikings pulled off the upset. Minnesota would not be able to defeat Philadelphia with its Week 5 skeleton crew sans seven starters, but getting its starters back in the lineup will give Kevin O’Connell’s squad a puncher’s chance.
More on Vikings Injury Recoveries
WCCO’s Anthony Bettin opined on the injuries this week: “Though McCarthy struggled for most of his two starts, O’Connell seems unconcerned about his acclimation to the NFL game. Instead, the coach insists McCarthy’s time away from the field is all about making sure he’s physically sound.”
“McCarthy’s recovery may be more urgent than previously thought — O’Connell said Wentz came out of Sunday’s win against the Cleveland Browns feeling ‘pretty sore’ in his left shoulder. The only other QB on the roster is undrafted rookie Max Brosmer. The Vikings will look to get healthy at several other positions during the bye week.”
The Vikings haven’t beaten the Eagles since 2019.
“Guard Donovan Jackson, linebacker Blake Cashman and center Michael Jurgens will all return to practice in some capacity before the Week 7 game against the Philadelphia Eagles, O’Connell said. Jurgens was filling in for starting center Ryan Kelly, who has suffered two concussions this season, before getting injured himself,” Bettin added.
“The Vikings have fielded a patchwork offensive line for nearly the entire season, with backups playing at every spot but right guard at some point.”
Next week’s injury report will be rather telling, especially with perhaps the best team in the NFL venturing to the Twin Cities.
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