Vikings Injury Report Drops One Big Blow
It’s Week 12 for the Minnesota Vikings, and they cannot afford to lose. The team is 4-5, facing a must-win situation at home against the Chicago Bears. The injury report, along the way, has one tough pill to swallow.
The Vikings’ injury report delivered one major blow ahead of the showdown with Chicago, raising the stakes for a team that can’t afford setbacks.
Minnesota will hope to topple Chicago without its best defensive player: outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard.
Vikings Get Healthy for the Most Part — Sans Jonathan Greenard
There’s always one caveat.
Who’s Out?
Minnesota won’t have Greenard this weekend; he’s out. Too, center Ryan Kelly isn’t quite back yet, still healing from a concussion and on tap to eventually wear a Guardian helmet when he returns to the starting lineup.
Vikings.com‘s Craig Peters wrote Friday, “The Vikings (4-5) on Friday ruled out outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard for Sunday’s Week 11 game against the Bears (6-3). Greenard suffered a shoulder injury in Week 10 against Baltimore and did not practice this week.
“Minnesota also ruled out center Ryan Kelly, who has been in concussion protocol since Week 4 but had his 21-day practice window opened this week by the Vikings.”
No Greenard or Kelly.
The Questionables
Here’s the sweet part, especially for those who don’t enjoy sweating weekend injury reports: there are no questionable players. For the first time all season, the Vikings have no weekend injuries regarding who might suit up and or may not.
Notably, J.J. McCarthy’s hand bruise won’t prevent him from playing against Chicago. Theo Jackson is fully back from a concussion. Running back Aaron Jones was limited in practice but will carry no injury designation this weekend. And Christian Darrisaw + Andrew Van Ginkel are fully loaded.
On the Bears’ Side
Chicago will not have linebacker T.J. Edwards. He’s on the shelf with hand and hamstring injuries. Wide receiver Jahdae Walker won’t play either — a concussion. The two biggies on the Bears’ end are both defensive backs. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson is questionable with a groin problem. Safety Jaquan Brisker has the same status with a back injury.
Despite a humongous injury report on Wednesday and Thursday, all of the Bears’ main playmakers have been cleared to play.
Ryan Kelly Watch
If Kelly does return next weekend, Minnesota will finally get a look at its full-strength offensive line — for the first time all season. It’s taken eleven weeks and a handful of detours, but if Kelly suits up and the other four make it through Sunday intact, the long-promised starting five is finally within reach.
Here’s the Holy Grail group:
- Christian Darrisaw (LT)
- Donovan Jackson (LG)
- Ryan Kelly (C)
- Will Fries (RG)
- Brian O’Neill (RT)
There’s also a small dose of good news attached to his comeback: Kelly will be wearing the Guardian cap for the first time in his ten-year career. A few players around the league have adopted it, and while it looks a little goofy, it’s designed to cut down on concussion risk. At this point, who cares what it looks like if it keeps a key piece on the field?
Daily Norseman‘s Christopher Gates on Kelly: “Kelly, who had a history of concussion issues during his time with the Indianapolis Colts, has suffered two concussions so far this season. The first game in the Vikings’ Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, which caused him to miss a game the following week.”
“He returned for the team’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin in Week 4, only to suffer a concussion in that game as well. After the second concussion, the team placed him on injured reserve, and he has missed the last five games. From a football perspective, if Kelly does return, it could give the Vikings an opportunity to have the five starting offensive linemen they envisioned having finally on the field at the same time.”
Kelly is a four-time Pro Bowler.
Gates continued, “So far this year, Kelly, Christian Darrisaw, Donovan Jackson, Will Fries, and Brian O’Neill have played a combined zero snaps, including the preseason when Darrisaw was still out of action. The Vikings have been shuffling offensive linemen around all over the place so far this season, so we’ll see what happens when Kelly makes his return.”
“In opening his practice window, the Vikings now have 21 days to decide whether or not to put Kelly back on the active roster. If, for some reason, they determine that he is not ready to return after those 21 days, he would go back on injured reserve and his season would be over.”
The Bears have beaten the Vikings just one time in the last nine tries.
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