Joshua Metellus: Everything you need to know

The Vikings placed Metellus (shoulder) on injured reserve Wednesday, Craig Peters of the team's official site reports. Metellus will undergo surgery to repair a shoulder injury that he has played through for the Vikings' last two games, and his placement on IR confirms that he will miss the final three games of the regular season. The sixth-year safety will turn his attention toward rehabbing from his procedure and being fully healthy for the start of training camp in July of 2026.

Head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters Wednesday that Metellus will have his injured shoulder surgically repaired and miss the remainder of the 2025 season, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com reports. Metellus has been dealing with a shoulder injury over the last couple of weeks, and the Vikings have now decided to shut him down for the remainder of the season to have the injury surgically repaired. The 27-year-old is a crucial part of Minnesota's defense, recording 86 total tackles and six passes defensed, including two interceptions, across 14 games this year. While he's sidelined, expect Jay Ward to have an expanded role in the Vikings' secondary.

Metellus (shoulder) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Cowboys. The Michigan product logged consecutive limited practice sessions to open the Vikings' week of practice, but it now appears he's moved past his shoulder injury in time to play Sunday. Now fully healthy, Metellus is expected to operate as Minnesota's top strong safety in Week 15.