HEADLINES

Minnesota Vikings News & Rumors

Injury Updates: Thielen, Moreau, Andrews, Guice, Chark

December 8th, 2019 at 9:17pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Here are the latest injury updates from around the league as you enjoy Sunday Night Football:

  • Adam Thielen missed another game with his hamstring issue Sunday, but he should be back out there soon. “All parties are optimistic” that the Vikings will have their star receiver when they play a pivotal Week 15 game against the Chargers, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Thielen has only played eight games this season, and in two of those he played only a handful of snaps.
  • The Raiders have been pretty banged up recently, and they took another blow during their crucial loss to the Titans. Tight end Foster Moreau went down with a knee injury, and Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said after the game he could be done for the season. Moreau doesn’t play a huge role as a pass-catcher, but he has had a couple of big games and has been playing around half of the team’s offensive snaps.
  • Ravens fans were left holding their breath when breakout tight end Mark Andrews left their victory over the Bills and didn’t return, but fortunately it doesn’t appear to be anything too serious. Andrews suffered a contusion between his knee and thigh a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, and the “indication is it’s nothing major” (Twitter link). That’s good news, but Baltimore does have a short week with a Thursday Night Football game against the Jets waiting. It wouldn’t be surprising if Andrews misses that one, but it doesn’t sound like it’ll be a longterm absence.
  • Derrius Guice has had brutal injury luck so far in his young NFL career, so it was terrible to see the Redskins running back go down with another knee issue during their loss to the Packers. Fortunately it seems like he might’ve dodged a bullet, as Tom Pelissero of NFL Network tweets that the initial diagnosis is an MCL sprain. It seems like Guice could miss some time and potentially the rest of the season, but fortunately it doesn’t appear to be anything long-term. Guice missed his entire rookie season due to a torn ACL that resulted in multiple infections, and then missed the first eight games of this season with a knee injury.
  • The Jaguars have been getting embarrassed weekly recently, and now things are getting even worse. On the heels of their 45-10 blowout loss to the Chargers, it looks like they could be without top receiver D.J. Chark moving forward. Chark left the game with an ankle injury, and his “left foot was in a protective boot and he left the locker room using a scooter” after the game, tweets Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com. Chark has been having a breakout year and has 881 yards with eight touchdowns, and it now seems like his sophomore campaign could be over.

We’ll have more on all the other big injuries suffered today as soon as there are additional details to pass along.

Injury Updates: Cook, Mack, Staley, Ford, Kendricks

December 7th, 2019 at 8:18pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

All the latest injury updates as we await kickoff in the morning:

  • Vikings fans were left holding their breath on Monday night, when Stefon Diggs and Dalvin Cook went down with injuries on the same play. Diggs soon returned to the game, and it looks like Cook is alright as well. The star running back aggravated a pre-existing injury during Minnesota’s loss to Seattle, but he was removed from the final injury report on Friday and is all systems go for Sunday’s game against the Lions. It’s still possible the Vikings seek to lessen his workload, in which case promising backup Alexander Mattison would pick up the slack.
  • Speaking of banged up running backs, the Colts’ Marlon Mack got back to a full practice and will make his return Sunday against the Bucs. Mack has missed the past two games with a hand injury, and Indianapolis could really use him as they’ve lost four of their past five games. Mack had minor surgery on his hand a few weeks back.
  • Joe Staley is returning from injury for the second time this season. The 49ers’ left tackle has missed nine games this year due to various ailments, but is returning for this weekend’s pivotal game against the Saints. San Francisco has obviously been getting by just fine without him, but his presence will be a huge boost as they go up against a really tough New Orleans defensive front. Staley isn’t the only key piece the 49ers are getting back, as pass-rusher Dee Ford will also make his return to the lineup. Ford, who signed a massive five-year, $85MM deal with his new team after getting traded from the Chiefs, has missed each of the past two games with a quad injury.
  • The Seahawks’ defense looks like it’ll be a bit shorthanded, as Mychal Kendricks is being listed as doubtful for their Sunday Night Football game against the Rams. This will be the linebacker’s first missed game of the season, and he has started all 12 for Seattle. Rookie third-round pick Cody Barton could get his first career start as a result, tweets Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/3/19

December 3rd, 2019 at 4:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s practice squad moves:

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: LB Reshard Cliett

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Vikings Place LB Ben Gedeon On IR

December 2nd, 2019 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ben Gedeon‘s second concussion this season led to the Vikings shutting him down. Minnesota placed the starting linebacker on IR Monday and replaced him on the roster with practice squad wide receiver Alexander Hollins.

The Vikings ruled out Adam Thielen for Week 13, so Hollins will give them four healthy wideouts tonight against the Seahawks.

While Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks operate as the Vikings’ three-down linebackers, Gedeon has been a two-season starter. The 2017 fourth-round pick has started 22 games since his rookie year, helping balance out the Vikings’ veteran-heavy defense with a rookie contract. He’s been a starter in name only this season, playing only 102 snaps.

Gedeon’s second concussion occurred against the Broncos in Week 11. After a 53-tackle 2018, Gedeon finished with just 11 this season. This will move Eric Wilson (172 snaps this season) into Minnesota’s starting lineup, per Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link).

Vikings Rule Out Adam Thielen

December 2nd, 2019 at 12:30pm CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings are expected to promote wide receiver Alexander Hollins from the practice squad, as Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The undrafted rookie out of Eastern Illinois gives them four healthy receivers tonight against the Seahawks, as Adam Thielen remains out with a hamstring injury. 

Hollins, a 6’1″ target, joined the Vikings’ taxi squad shortly after missing the final cut in late August. At Eastern Illinois, Hollins ended his collegiate career with 127 career receptions, good for tenth on the program’s all-time list. In his final year, he had five games with 100 yards receiving, including a 167-yard breakout against Indiana State.

Thielen, meanwhile, has not seen double-digit snaps since Week 6. Due to his nagging injury, Thielen will see his 1,000-yard streak end after two exceptional seasons, though he hopes to be back in action to help the Vikings in the playoff hunt. As of today, the Vikings have a 90% chance of reaching the playoffs, according to FiveThirtyEight, with a 42% chance of winning the NFC North. A win over the Seahawks would bring them to 10-3 and virtually solidify their spot in the postseason.

In eight games this year, Thielen has 27 catches for 391 yards and six scores.

Poll: Who Will Earn NFC’s No. 1 Seed?

November 30th, 2019 at 8:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

The NFC’s contender class (non-NFC East contingent) has separated from the pack, giving the conference a clear top five going into December. With the NFC-leading 49ers set for a historically brutal late-season stretch, cases can be made for each of the top five moving to the home-field advantage bracket position.

While the Cowboys and Eagles are almost certainly vying for the conference’s No. 4 seed, the 49ers, Saints, Seahawks, Packers and Vikings comprise one of the more interesting pursuits of a conference’s No. 1 slot in recent memory. Week 17 in the NFC may not feature many starters resting.

Armed with the ninth-best defensive DVOA figure through 11 games in the Football Outsiders-developed metric’s 34-season history, the 49ers carry a 10-1 record into the regular season’s final month. They made a statement in the first leg of their difficult three-game stretch, a defensive line-keyed rout of the Packers, but still have games in Baltimore and New Orleans (both oddly staying in the early-Sunday time slot) on tap. The 49ers also conclude their season with a Seattle trip. They have not won in Seattle since 2011, when Tarvaris Jackson was at the controls for the Seahawks, and have not earned a playoff bye in seven years.

While the 49ers have the NFL’s second-toughest schedule remaining, the Seahawks’ remaining SOS is not much easier. Their final five games double as the seventh-most difficult stretch run. Seattle (9-2, No. 8 in DVOA) is 9-2 but won in San Francisco during a 6-0 road start. Following their home tilt against the Vikings, who lost in Seattle on a Monday night in December 2018, the Seahawks have a road Rams game scheduled before meetings with the Panthers and Cardinals.

New Orleans does not have it any easier, with the league’s fifth-toughest slate remaining. After the 49ers, however, the Saints (10-2, No. 6 in DVOA) face the Colts at home before outdoor games in Nashville and Charlotte. Since 1994, only the Seahawks (2013-14) and Eagles (2002-04) have earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed in back-to-back years. Illustrating the stakes for the Saints: they are 6-1 at home in the playoffs under Sean Payton, with the loss obviously coming in controversial fashion last season, and 1-5 on the road during the Payton-Drew Brees era.

The Vikings (8-3, No. 7 DVOA) sit 11th in the December SOS rankings but do have each of their divisional home games remaining, with a “road” game against the Chargers mixed in. Were they to stick the landing and reach the playoffs, it would mark an extraordinarily rare run. With no Viking quarterback helping the team to two postseason berths since Daunte Culpepper, Kirk Cousins guiding Minnesota to January football would make six different starting quarterbacks since Culpepper’s 2004 season to lead the Vikings to the playoffs.

With two of their worst offensive games of the decade occurring in November trips to Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Packers (8-3, No. 10 DVOA) have cooled off considerably. They do, however, have by far the easiest road to January among the NFC’s premier quintet. Only the Eagles and Browns face a worse run of opponents than the Packers, who draw the Giants, Redskins, Bears and Lions. The Packers have not earned a playoff bye in five years but appear a stealth threat to make such a push this season.

So which of the NFC’s powers will end up securing home-field advantage? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts on this race in the comments section.

Latest On Adam Thielen Return

November 30th, 2019 at 7:06pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Adam Thielen‘s last game featuring double-digit snaps came in Week 6, but the Vikings‘ highest-paid skill-position player is trending in a better direction for Monday night’s game. Battling a hamstring injury, Thielen returned to practice Friday and got in two limited workouts this week. He does not expect to be a game-time decision, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter), so the Vikings (and certain fantasy owners) may have some advance notice. Thielen will see his 1,000-yard streak likely stop after two seasons, but the 29-year-old standout is certainly pivotal to Minnesota’s hopes at winning the NFC North.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/26/19

November 26th, 2019 at 7:57pm CST by Ben Levine

A handful of practice squad moves to pass along:

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Minnesota Vikings

Philadelphia Eagles

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Vikings Waive Josh Doctson

November 26th, 2019 at 10:08am CST by Zachary Links

The Vikings have waived Josh Doctson, according to a team press release. To take his place on the roster, the club promoted linebacker Cameron Smith from the practice squad. 

Doctson, 26, hasn’t lived up to his 2016 first-round draft billing. He effectively lost his rookie season to injury and didn’t show much in his subsequent seasons with the Redskins. The Vikings gave him a shot this year, but he leaves Minnesota without recording a single reception.

It’s bad news for Doctson, but potentially excellent news when it comes to Adam Thielen‘s recovery. Thielen has been sidelined by a hamstring injury, but his return may be just around the corner. Unfortunately, the release of Doctson will not foreshadow the return of Chad Beebe. The wide receiver was nearing his potential return from injured reserve, but this week’s ankle surgery means that he will not be able to play again in 2019.

The Vikings are 8-3 following back-to-back wins over the Broncos and Cowboys. Next up – a Monday night showdown against the Seahawks.

Vikings Work Out OLs Russell Bodine, Marcus Martin

November 25th, 2019 at 6:37pm CST by Ben Levine

The Vikings are eyeing some offensive line reinforcement. ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reports (via Twitter) that the team worked out offensive linemen Russell Bodine and Marcus Martin.

Bodine, 27, has generally played center throughout his career. The 2014 fourth-rounder spent the first four seasons of his career with the Bengals, starting all 64 of his appearances. He signed a two-year deal with the Bills during the 2018 offseason, and he proceeded to appear in 10 games (10 starts) for Buffalo. He was traded to the Patriots back in August, but he was released a week later.

Martin, a 2014 third-round pick, has bounced around the league a bit since his three-year stint with the 49ers. The 25-year-old has 26 career games (24 starts) under his belt, but he hasn’t seen the field since the 2016 campaign. The offensive guard signed with the Seahawks this past offseason, but he was released by the team at the end of the preseason.

The Vikings recently placed Brett Jones on the injured reserve, but the center had only played a limited role with the organization. The Vikings didn’t play this past weekend, but Josh Kline was forced out of the lineup for Week 11 as he recovered from a concussion.

The Vikings also worked out a pair of running backs in Johnny Stanton and Ryan Yurachek. Stanton had a previous stint with the organization, with the collegiate quarterback trying his luck at fullback. Yurachek spent this past preseason with the Cowboys.

Load More Posts