The Vikings’ final injury report for Week 2 leaves them with one obvious headline and a few more problems hiding underneath it. Carson Wentz will start in place of Kyler Murray, who is out after taking a vicious shot to the head in last week’s win over Green Bay. That change alone shifts the tone of Sunday’s matchup with the Bears, but Minnesota’s concerns don’t stop at quarterback.
Wentz gives the Vikings a steadier, less explosive option behind center. He’s not going to create the same kind of off-script chaos or big plays Murray can, but Minnesota is counting on him to keep the offense on schedule, find Justin Jefferson and avoid the costly mistake.
In that sense, the quarterback spot may be serviceable. The rest of the injury picture is far less comforting.
Right tackle Brian O’Neill is officially questionable after being listed as limited and also turning up as a DNP this week with what appears to be a knee injury. If he can’t go, the Vikings would likely turn to swing tackle Ryan Van Demark on the right side. Rookie Caleb Tiernan is technically next on the depth chart, but his preseason work made it clear he’s not ready for a starting job.
That would be a notable hit after Minnesota’s line gave up only one sack and six pressures against Green Bay. Still, Kevin O’Connell sounded encouraged when he spoke Friday.
“Brian O’Neill was able to get limited work in today, and he’ll go in questionable. He’s doing well. We’ll see how he feels after a good practice today," O'Connell said.
The backfield is in even more flux. Mason is headed to injured reserve and will miss at least four games, wiping out what had been expected to be a 50/50 split with Aaron Jones. Jones will take on more of the load, but the depth behind him is thin and still unsettled.
O’Connell said rookie Demond Claiborne will be active, though his preseason wasn’t encouraging. Claiborne averaged just 2.6 yards per carry, and he may still be a year away from a real offensive role.
DeeJay Dallas is another option to spell Jones, but he’s hardly been a volume player; he has carried the ball only 22 times over the last three seasons. The staff does trust him, though, and there’s always the possibility he breaks one loose.
Jerome Ford was the latest addition, but it’s unlikely he suits up Sunday. That leaves Jones carrying a heavier burden, even though he averaged only 3.3 yards per carry on 12 attempts against a banged-up Packers front.
Minnesota also lost Jennings for Week 2 because of a personal matter after he failed to record a catch in the opener. His absence matters on offense and in the run game.
Tai Felton now moves into the WR3 spot alongside Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and the Bears could choose to focus on Jefferson and force the Vikings to beat them elsewhere. Felton had a strong camp, and Addison getting shut out in consecutive weeks is not a realistic expectation.
Jennings’ blocking will be missed too, because Felton and Myles Price are both clear steps down in that area. The silver lining is that this looks like a one-week absence, but the Vikings are still staring at a difficult assignment with Murray, Mason and Jennings all unavailable against Chicago.
In Other News...
Josh Oliver Is Suddenly A Vikings Concern At The Worst Time
Josh Oliver has quietly become one of the more important pieces of Minnesotas offense, and that makes his early-season form worth watching closely. The Vikings locked him in through the 2028 season on a three-year, $23.25 million deal, signaling real confidence in his role as both a blocker and a reliable part of the passing game. In Week 1, he was on the field for 42 offensive snaps and looked solid enough overall, with strong run-blocking marks backing up why the team values him.
The concern comes in the area Minnesota can least afford to ignore right now. Pro Football Focus gave Oliver a 23.3 pass-block grade, a rough sign for a player the Vikings may need to lean on even more if the starting quarterback is unavailable. The coaching staff is expected to keep a close eye on that part of his game in the coming weeks, because in a season where protection already matters, tight end support in pass protection suddenly feels a lot bigger than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Collapse Is Suddenly Raising A Bigger NFC North Question
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For a Vikings team watching from the other side of the rivalry, the bigger question is no longer just how Green Bay got here, but whether the slide says something deeper about the way Matt LaFleurs team handles fourth quarters and overtime. The Packers recent scoring issues in those moments have become impossible to ignore, and the longer they linger, the more the NFC North picture shifts from a one-team problem to a division-wide opening Minnesota will have every reason to study closely. [Read more 🡒]
Ivan Pace Jr Is Becoming A Real Vikings Roster Question
Ivan Pace Jr. arrived in Minnesota looking like one of the better young linebacker finds on the roster, but his path has shifted since that rookie season. His defensive snap count has trended down as the Vikings have leaned more on him in special teams work, and the linebacker room has only gotten more crowded with veteran Eric Wilson in the mix and rookie Jake Golday added through the draft.
Pace is still active on special teams and, at 25, he is hardly out of the picture long term. But the combination of a reduced defensive role and the teams added depth makes him an increasingly interesting roster question as Minnesota sorts out how much runway remains for him on defense and whether he can win that job back. [Read more 🡒]