Practice notes: Vikings linebackers limited, Murphy rested

It’s Thursday, meaning the week 10 slate of NFL games begins tonight. While this week’s Thursday Night Football matchup doesn’t feature the Minnesota Vikings, it’s still a good body clock timer. Thursdays during football season remind us to proactively set our fantasy football lineups, check up on betting odds and start to get prepared for the Vikings game that weekend.

For example, Minnesota Vikings fans are finding out this afternoon/evening that Trevor Lawrence is unlikely to play for their opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, on Sunday. But Lawrence’s injury isn’t the only one we are keeping eyes on, leading up to this week 10 contest.

The first injury report for the Minnesota Vikings dropped on Wednesday and there were a lot of names on it. That’s what happens on Wednesdays, especially as we creep closer to the end of the season. Hell, the Vikings listed a few players on the injury report yesterday just for “rest”.

Minnesota Vikings practice report for Thursday brings good news

Thursday practice reports in the NFL are taken much more seriously. DNPs on Thursday are unlikely to play Sunday. If a player can’t go on Friday, you might as well rule them out for that week. That’s why it was good to see all three Vikings’ DNPs from yesterday (Bradbury, Van Ginkel, Pace Jr) were either listed as “Full” participants today, or at the least, “Limited”.

Kevin Seifert (ESPN) reports that Gabriel Murphy, who is in his 21-day PUP practice window, had a planned off-day. He did not suffer any sort of setback that kept him out of practice today.

As of today, the Minnesota Vikings practice report might look the healthiest it has all season. Blake Cashman appears due to return. Neither TJ Hockenson or Dalton Risner have made an appearance, at all, on this week’s injury reports. We’ll see if Risner gets any run… but that’s another conversation.

Mostly healthy… but with a new left tackle

The only starter in the organization who won’t be on the field vs Jacksonville is Christian Darrisaw. He tore his ACL and MCL two weeks ago, and will not return this season. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah replaced Carrisaw via trade. The Vikings sent conditional day two draft picks to Sunday’s opponent, the Jacksonville Jaguars, for veteran LT Cam Robinson.

One week in, the move looks genius. Kevin O’Connell called it one of the biggest moves that Kwesi has made since the two arrived here in the 2022 offseason. That’s saying something for a front office that has traded for TJ Hockenson, drafted Jordan Addison and plucked Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Ginkel and Jonathan Greenard from free agency.

If the Minnesota Vikings can avoid some sort of freak late-week injury on Friday or Saturday, this team should have one of the best collections of talent it’s put out on the field yet this season. Without Lawrence (not that he would have made the difference), Sunday should be a long day for the (2-7) Jacksonville Jaguars.

Of course… as a Minnesota sports fan… I’ve read this story before and it rarely ends how it is supposed to.