Kevin O’Connell didn’t have much to sort through on the injury front Friday, and that was mostly good news for the 5-0 Vikings as they get set to host the Colts.
Minnesota came out of its bye in solid shape. Every player on Thursday’s injury report - including Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Christian Darrisaw - was a full participant, leaving one notable exception for Sunday’s game.
That exception is running back Jordan Mason, who will carry a questionable tag into Week 7.
“Jordan Mason practiced fully all week. A really good week of work.
We’ll work through what that looks like, but he is technically questionable right now. No other player will go in with a designation for the game, so we’ve been able to get a little more healthy.
We’ll talk to Jordan and see, but things are looking positive for him being available.”
Mason is the only Vikings player listed with an injury designation. He landed on injured reserve Sept. 16 with a thumb injury he suffered in Week 1 and has missed four games since then. Minnesota opened his practice window on Oct. 19, and he has been a full participant all week.
The questionable label is a little surprising because O’Connell had already indicated Mason should be back by Week 7. Still, the team is being cautious with how it handles the roster move. Mason is still on injured reserve, so activating him means a corresponding move to the 53-man roster, and NFL teams usually wait as long as possible before making those kinds of decisions.
That makes sense. The Vikings would rather avoid cutting someone loose too early, only to have another player suffer a surprise injury before Sunday.
Mason’s return would be a timely one for Minnesota’s backfield. He opened the season with 15 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown before getting hurt. In his first year with the Vikings last season, he logged 159 carries for 758 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games.
Aaron Jones Sr. has handled the workload in Mason’s absence. Through five games, Jones has 97 carries for 410 yards and two touchdowns, good for 4.2 yards per carry. No other Vikings running back has topped 13 rushing yards this season, and Jones said this week that he has been playing through a sprained MCL.
Mason and Jones have shared the field for only nine snaps all season.
In Other News...
Vikings Gave Caleb Williams A Reality Check Bears Fans Hate
Rainy games at Soldier Field have a way of turning pretty football arguments into ugly ones, and Week 2 was no exception. The Vikings came away with a 9-3 win over the Bears, leaning on a defense that made Chicago work for everything and turned the game into the kind of slog that can frustrate both sides just as much as it flatters the winner.
For Bears fans, though, the lingering frustration has been less about the scoreboard than the setting. Some have pointed to the conditions and a handful of missed scoring chances as reason to question how much the result should really count, even as Minnesotas defensive effort deserves plenty of credit on its own. The debate has only added another layer to a rivalry game that already felt like a referendum on how much patience Chicago has left for Caleb Williams and the offense around him. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Could Eye A Major Backfield Upgrade Before The Deadline
The trade deadline chatter around Saquon Barkley has put a spotlight on a few teams that could use a backfield jolt, and Minnesota is firmly in that mix. The Vikings have reason to at least take the phone call seriously, especially with the way their run game has looked and the uncertainty hanging over their current rotation.
Aaron Jones has not provided the same production he once did, and Jordan Mason is dealing with a fractured thumb, which leaves the Vikings in a spot where help would make sense. If Philadelphia were ever willing to move Barkley, Minnesota could be one of the more aggressive teams watching closely, even if the price and timing still make this a situation to monitor rather than a done deal. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Backfield Move Just Put A Bigger Possibility In Play
The Vikings made a roster adjustment before facing the Colts, releasing DeeJay Dallas to clear the way for Jordan Mason to come off injured reserve. It was the kind of backfield move teams make this time of year, but it also gave Minnesota a little more clarity heading into a matchup where the ground game will matter, especially with Mason returning and the Vikings looking to settle in around their current rotation.
At the same time, the broader running back picture around Indianapolis has a way of keeping Minnesota in the conversation. Jonathan Taylor remains under contract after his extension with the Colts, and while there is no indication a deal is imminent, the Vikings have been floated as a possible destination if circumstances ever change. The connection is worth watching because Colts interim general manager Ed Dodds has ties to Vikings GM Nolan Teasley, a thread that could matter if the situation around Taylor ever turns into something more than background noise. [Read more 🡒]