Viking rule out right tackle Brian O’Neill after ankle injury setback
He was at his best against the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Eve.
Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Brian O’Neill (75) stands on the field during the first half of an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 1. Minneapolis, Dec. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Abby Parr)
Brian O’Neal won’t play again until next season unless the Vikings make the playoffs. After O’Neill missed practice this week with an ankle injury, the Vikings have officially ruled him out of Sunday’s game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
This is a direct result of O’Neal’s efforts to continue playing in the game against the Green Bay Packers on New Year’s Eve. Never mind that he suffered an ankle injury in the Vikings’ 33-10 loss. No amount of pain is enough to force O’Neal off the court. “He could have easily done that and nobody would have doubted him,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We fought. He wanted to be with his teammates at all times of the game, regardless of the score. That’s why he’s our captain.”
O’Neill will be out this weekend while he tries to get proper treatment. “He’s someone I have a lot of respect for,” O’Connell said. “He suffered very serious injuries and never came back.”
Murphy and Blackmon are gone.
The depth of the secondary will be tested again when the Vikings play the Lions. Veteran cornerback Byron Murphy Jr. missed practice this week with a knee injury and rookie Mekhi Blackmon was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
That will put a lot of pressure on cornerbacks Akyleb Evans and Andrew Booth Jr. Additionally, safety Cam Bynum and safety Josh Metellus could be out of position, as they were last week. No matter what happens, the Vikings will give it their all against him.
“It’s a talented group offensively,” O’Connell said. “We have to schematically run the game in a way that we think gives us the best chance to defend.”
Naylor suffered a concussion.
Wide receiver Jalen Naylor missed his fourth straight game with a concussion last month. Although his condition has improved in recent weeks, Naylor still has limited symptoms and has not completed the concussion protocol. “In some cases, we don’t put players back on the field, even if they come back on the field begging, scratching and clawing,” O’Connell said. “Our job is to make sure they’re completely medically healthy, and that hasn’t happened yet.”
Naylor is expected to make a full recovery and be able to play again next season. short
Safety Theo Jackson (finger) and Jacqueline Roy (pad) are other players without defensive action. Also questionable are left tackle Christian Darissau (illness) and right tackle Ed Ingram (shoulder).
