Vikings Injury News via Kevin O’Connell

Vikings Injury News via Kevin O’Connell

[Music] Yo, what’s going on everybody? Welcome in the Vikings now by chat sports. My name is Patrick Seatman and we got a big time show for you guys today as Kevin Okonnell had his Monday press conference before practice and he gave some key injury updates on some key players on this roster. He obviously had a lot to say around the quarterback position, but also two guys defensively that the Vikings could get back this week. So, we’ll talk about it. But speaking about this week, this is a massive week for the Minnesota Vikings. I think number one during the week like the injury report, you know, getting updates on JJ McCarthy, getting updates on Carson Wentz, the trade deadline is three weeks away, but then also just for the football team, this is a massive game against the Philadelphia Eagles. You have a chance to move to 4-2 or you could lose this game and fall to three and three. That is a huge difference in terms of what your record could be if you are trying to go and still win the NFC North this season. And so I’m asking you guys hit that subscribe button. No matter the time of day, no matter where I’m at, if we get a big-time injury update around JJ McCarthy, Carson Wer, any of these guys, I’ll pop up uh pop out a video for you guys ASAP. So, hit that subscribe button today. Once you guys are sub to the channel, hit me with a skull down below in the comment section. All right, so KOC started off here talking about Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman. We got some great news. Obviously, Cman dealing with that hamstring injury that uh put him on short-term IR. He missed weeks two, three, four, and five, but he is back this week. He actually had his 21-day practice window open and just kind of listening to how KOC was talking about Cashman. I fully expect him to be back in the fold. And you know, KC was giving him a ton of love. Like he was talking about just how different this Vikings defense is with and without him in the lineup, how when Cman is in there, he allows other guys to kind of play their niche role. I think he was mainly talking about Ivan Pace there. For Ivan Pace, he has definitely struggled this year. But when Pace has Cashman next to him, like then we see the huge positives of Pace’s play where he is fantastic as just being that blitzing linebacker. And also, we know the Brian Flores defense, they love showing you a look, seven, eight guys lined up on the line of scrimmage. You got to pick and choose who’s coming. The offense, they’ll adjust and then the Vikings will readjust. And that’s where having that elite communicator, the green dotware and Blake Cashman, having him back in the fold this week, I mean, I cannot undersell how big this is for that defense. But one guy where his status is not looking too good and honestly I’m a little concerned for this guy and that’s Andrew B uh Andrew Van Genko. Now Kevin Okcono said early on in the week he’s going to work off to the side. So I’m assuming we’ll see AVG with a lot of DMPS on the injury report this week but maybe like that Thursday practice maybe he comes up as uh limited on this. But I’m going to guess they probably hold him out until week nine against the Detroit Lions because you know dealing with a neck injury and with how physical of a football player Andrew Van Ginkle is. Do you really want to risk it like kind of force his way back for this week but then it could jeopardize him missing the entire season? I have my concerns there. So I’m going to probably if I had to bank on it Cashman goes but AVG does not play this week. But at the end of the day, between these two guys, the Vikings defense for this match up against the Eagles, they’re going to need at least one of Andrew Van Genko or Blake Cashman back because, you know, the Vikings defense top to bottom has been pretty damn solid this season. Um, but the one negative of the Vikings defense is stopping the run. And I think Andrew Van Genko and Blake Cashman number well, first off, they’re the second and third best player on this defense and the second and third most important player on this uh players on this defense. So just getting one of those two guys back I think is going to be absolutely massive. You should be able to stop the run at a higher level. So I do like Cashman. He’ll probably be back and it should take this Vikings defense to another level. But more guys will be back. We can clap it up here. JJ McCarthy was actually seen back at practice today. Now somebody took a photo of JJ at practice and I tried to zoom in on his ankle just to see if maybe he had some, you know, spat tape on there or if he had like a big time brace. There was no brace on his ankle. So, I think he is definitely trending in the right direction, but I also still have my doubts if he’s going to play this week because KOC the way he was talking, he was making it seem like JJ won’t play now. Is that Kevin Oonnell? Is he playing a little gamesmanship or is this real? So, that’s the question like is this smoke or is this real for JJ McCarthy? Like if you’re just taking KOC for his word, like I would probably say there’s a 5% JJ McCarthy plays. But also, why would Kevin Okcono just come out and flatly say, “Oh yeah, JJ McCarthy is our guy.” Because again, this is trying to get an advantage any way possible. And I’m sure like the Eagles and their team, they’re, you know, trying to get some insight whether it’s going to be JJ McCarthy or Carson Wentz out there. So pretty much KOC just left it up in the air. I think that was probably the right call if he is kind of trying to play some gamesmanship here. But he also was asked on just giving a percentage of JJ’s health and he wouldn’t give it. Um which again I think is the right move by Kevin Okonnell. Like even if JJ was truly at 100%, why would he just come out and flatly say that? But then somebody else asked him like, “Hey, when are you going to name a starting quarterback?” Like what’s the decision there? Like obviously this is a huge decision heading into this game versus the Eagles. This is what KC had to say. Now this was also typical coach talk for KC here saying there’s the decision that is the public one. And I think there’s a decision with what we’re going to do for the game. And those two things can be on different timelines. Although I know that’s not the most comforting thing to share with you guys. And I thought this was pretty funny. I don’t know what Kevin Oonnell loves more. Long developing plays or long developing answers. Like listening to this whole press conference, it was just KOC in his bag. Like you just ask him a basic question and he’ll just start rambling in any other direction. And then KOC like he just loved these long, you know, thoughtout answers where it’s just kind of throwing smoke to the media. So clearly long developing plays, long developing answers. Like that’s just up KOC’s uh sleeve there. But it is nice to have JJ McCarthy back out there. Um again, I don’t think we’re really going to have a definite answer until it’s like official right before the game where it’s like, oh yeah, JJ McCarthy is the starting quarterback or Carson Wentz is the starting quarterback. But quickly, some other guys that are back at practice. Donovan Jackson, he got that wrist surgery. um before the week four game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he should be back out there, which would be huge. But more importantly, this was the probably the biggest shocker. Right tackle Brian O’Neal, he’s back at practice. And he’s also not working out on the side. Like, he is fully back out there, which is incredible because I still remember watching that Steel Wars game when Brian O’Neal went down. I mean, we were just sitting there praying that this wasn’t like a fully torn MCL for O’Neal. Just a sprained MCL. So, I fully expect him maybe not for sure this week, but for sure th uh that Thursday game against the Chargers, we’ll have Brian O’Neal back and then also Michael Jurgens. Um he’ll be back at practice this week. So, the question becomes with Ryan Kelly on short-term IR, you know, who is the starting center this week. Would it be Michael Jurgens or would they just roll out with Blake Brandell? I’m going to give my best guess here. I’m going to say they’re going to still continue with Michael Jurgens. But we are also now super super close to the Vikings having that full fiveman offensive line that we were all dreaming about heading into the season. Now again, question mark if Brian O’Neal plays, but I’m going to assume he does. But man, you got Darasaw back. You’re going to have Donovan Jackson, Wolf Rise, Brian O’Neal. Like this offensive line should be humming this weekend. And you know, the Vikings this Sunday, they got to be the more physical football team. Um the Philadelphia Eagles, they were the most physical team in the NFL this past season. But we saw last Thursday night for Philadelphia, the New York Giants completely pushed them around. The Giants were the more physical football team, which I never thought I would see that, but they definitely were. And that was because of the running back Cam Scataboo, their quarterback, Jackson Dart, just the moxy and the alphness he had. Like you really felt the Giants and also in the trenches. I mean, the Giants defensive line, they’re getting after the Eagles offensive line. And if the Vikings want to win this weekend, you’re going to have to replicate that game plan. you’re going to have to be the more physical team. You’re at home. You’ll have the crowd behind you. That defense should be absolutely firing on all cylinders. So, you got to be more physical. You got to try to beat them up. But I ask you guys this, speaking about that week seven matchup, Vikings taking on the Eagles at home, US Bank Stadium. Who you got in this one? Give me a V for the Vikings or give me an E for the Eagles. You guys let me know your thoughts down below in the comments section. Obviously, I’m riding out with our Minnesota Vikings. I’ll be typing my V’s down below. Now, we’ll get into the more about what Kevin Oonnell had to say during his press conference, but before we do so, we got to tell you guys about today’s sponsor, and that is Prize Pix. Now, you and I make decisions every day, but on Prize Pick, being right can get you paid. So, don’t miss any of the excitement this football season on Prize Pick, where it’s good to be right. If you guys download the Prize Pix app today, plug in promo code CLNS will hook you guys up with $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. on Prize Fix’s only app that offers stacks, meaning you can pick up to the same player three times in the same lineup. You guys want to pick more on Josh Allen’s pass yards, rush yards, and touchdowns, now you can’t pick all of them in the same lineup, only on prize picks. And they have a new feature where you can follow other prize picks players directly on the app and copy their lineups in just one click. Whether it’s a friend, celebrity, or someone whose picks you like, hit the follow button and check out every lineup they create in the new feed tab on Prize Pix. So download the Prize Fix app today. Plug in promo code CNS. Get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That’s promo code CNS to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. Shout out to Prize Pix though for uh sponsoring today’s show. Prize Pix, it’s good to be right now. Obviously, we got some injury news around JJ McCarthy, but we also got some injury news around Carson Wentz. And Kevin O’Connell said Carson Wentz is still sore with that uh left shoulder injury, but he will practice this week. So obviously that’s going to be huge because you know I think at least just me personally I would you know love for JJ McCarthy to get the start this week but if he can’t get the start this week I know all of us love Max Bromer I would still turn you know the keys of the quarterback position back to Carson Wentz. Like he’s got three games under his belt. He’s getting more familiar with the offense. Are you just going to throw Max Bros into the fire against the Super Bowl champs? Personally I would not. So even if McCarthy can’t go, I’m assuming to be number 11 back under center for the purple and gold. But one thing I thought was interesting from KC’s press conference, he was just making the case that ball security for the Vikings specifically for the rest of the way is absolutely huge. And you know that makes sense. Like Kevin Oonnell, his record as the Vikings head coach when they win the turnover battle, remember he had that one stretch where he was like 18-0, then it was 19-0, 20-0 back in that uh 2020 or last season, but still his record when they win the turnover battle is 26 and3. It is one of the best in the National Football League. So KOC, he understands it. One-sore games, he’s a great head coach. When he wins a turnover battle, he’s a great head coach. And he was talking about how detrimental those turnovers were against the Cleveland Browns because if you guys remember like that one Xavier Scott fumble, that was on the first play of the drive after Miles Price just had a massive punt return and that just kind of deflated the Vikings offense. And then even the first drive of the game, Jordan Mason, Vikings are moving the football up the field. first and 10. He ends up putting the ball on the deck. So, he was making the point ball security is absolutely huge. We cannot have those fumble issues. And also, he was talking about defensively how a lot of the Vikings takeaways just came from one week. It was against the Cincinnati Bengals, but he was also making the case once you get Cashman, once you get Genko back, like obviously the Vikings, you know, takeaway rate will, you know, skyrocket with those guys back in the fold. So, I like the way he was talking. Clearly this team attention to details are so huge and taking care of the football of course in the NFL day or in the NFL game is obviously massive. But you know in the end Kevin Oonnell is so good at this. A lot of coach talk. Um you know I was very excited to you know for this press conference because you know obviously we’re sitting on you know our hands and knees just waiting on the JJ McCarthy update and it didn’t necessarily give a great update around him. I mean, if you guys remember earlier on today broke down that Tom Pelisero uh article pretty much saying the Vikings QB situation is murky to say the least. KOC kind of just, you know, said the same thing that Pelisero was reporting that yeah, who the hell knows who’s going to be quarterback for the Vikings and that’s why this week is going to be hectic. Like I mean the every injury report this week for the Vikings, it’s going to be a fat list and it’s going to be a very important list. like not only the quarterback position but also still like Blake Cashman, Andrew Van Genko, Brian O’Neal, Donovan Jackson, like this week is going to be massive. That’s why I love covering the NFL because even if we’re not watching the games, just the week leading up to it is so much fun and I can’t wait for this match up against the Philadelphia Eagles. So, I ask you guys this, predict the score for me. Vikings versus Eagles. Who you rocking and rolling with? I got the Vikings winning this one. My score prediction is 23-20. You guys tell me your thoughts down below. Predict the score. Vikings versus Eagles. And we’ll see you guys next time. School bikes. [Music]

Minnesota Vikings news and rumors discussed after Kevin O’Connell’s press conference:
– Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/CLNS and use code CLNS and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup!
– Kevin O’Connell gave some insight on the latest Vikings injury news including updates on J.J. McCarthy, Brian O’Neill, Blake Cashman and Andrew Van Ginkel
– Chat Sports host Patrick Siepman breaks down the latest Vikings news and rumors discussed on today’s Minnesota Vikings YouTube video!

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Kevin O’Connell on who will start week 7 vs. Eagles:
“There’s the decision that is the public one, and I think there’s the decision with what we’re going to do for the game, and those two things can be on different timelines, although I know that’s not the most comforting thing to share with you guys.”

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Join the conversation in the comments below:
– Who ya got? Type ‘V’ for Vikings or ‘E’ for Eagles
– Predict the score! Vikings vs. Eagles

Vikings offensive coaches:
Offensive Coordinator: Wes Phillips
Running Backs Coach: Danny Barrett
Wide Receivers Coach / PG Coordinator: Keenan McCardell
Tight Ends Coach: Jake Moreland
Offensive Line Coach: Chris Strausser
Quarterbacks Coach: Jerrod Johnson
Offensive Assistant: Jarrod James
Offensive Assistant: Mike Snyder
Quality Control Coach: Leander Wallace
Assistant OL Coach: Cole Popovich

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– Vikings Fans Just Got GREAT & BAD News…: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_USwXhQh4Fc
– LATEST Vikings Rumors On J.J. McCarthy, Justin Jefferson & Kwesi Adofo-Mensah: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6vp2paMrAU
– Vikings Make MASSIVE Mistake Letting Sam Darnold Walk? | Vikings Rumors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmXEgK3e_B8

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