$92 Million Vikings Starter Out Ahead of Bengals Matchup

Getty Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell during a 2023 matchup with the Las Vegas Raiders.

After escaping a near shutout to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 14, the going won’t get any easier for the Minnesota Vikings offense.

On Thursday, The Vikings announced that starting running back Alexander Mattison and Pro Bowl left tackle Brian O’Neill would be out for their primetime matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals on Saturday, December 16.

A valuable asset to the Vikings offensive line, O’Neill is the team’s second-highest paid player, currently on a five-year, $92.5 million deal. Mattison signed a two-year, $7 million deal to take over as the lead back this season. Both players suffered ankle injuries last Sunday in a 3-0 win over the Raiders.

Wide receiver Jalen Nailor is also still in concussion protocol and was ruled out, while Justin Jefferson (chest) and backup guard Chris Reed (illness) are questionable.

Minnesota (7-6) currently holds the No. 6 seed in the NFC playoffs and has a 72% chance of making the postseason, according to NFL.com. The Vikings will have to fend off a Bengals team that is also 7-6 on the season and vying for an AFC Wild Card spot.

 Vikings WR Justin Jefferson Says He Will Play vs. Bengals

GettyVikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson

While Jefferson is listed as questionable, the star wide receiver told local reporters that he will play on Saturday after his return from a seven-week stint on injured reserve was cut short last week.

In the second quarter in Las Vegas, Jefferson lept for a ball and took a vicious hit from Raiders safety Marcus Epps that knocked him out of the game. Jefferson was rushed to a local hospital to undergo internal testing to make sure he could travel home with the team. Jefferson avoided more serious injury and made the flight home.

He will look to make a true debut on Saturday in front of his former LSU running mate and Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase.

Chase, addressing the matchup on Saturday, said that contact with Jefferson has been limited entering this week’s game with both their teams fighting to secure a playoff spot in the final four weeks of the season.

“We’re not going to talk besides me checking on him,” Chase said on December 14, per ESPN.

Chase has maintained his game face throughout the week with reporters asking about his friendship with Jefferson — and although he named himself the better receiver, he gave his flowers to Jefferson.

“He’s so quick and explosive. You watch film and he makes it look so easy. We can probably do the same move but, just because he’s twitchier and more explosive sometimes, he just has that look in his routes that he makes defenders fly,” Chase said in a locker room interview.

Vikings-Bengals Will Be a Battle of Backup QBs

GettyNick Mullens #12 of the Minnesota Vikings.

The Vikings and Bengals are in similar situations after losing their starting quarterbacks midseason.

Minnesota has weathered losing Kirk Cousins to an Achilles injury on October 29 well, going 3-2 since. Meanwhile, Cincinnati placed Joe Burrow on injured reserve with a wrist injury on November 24 and has since gone 2-1.

The Bengals are coming off back-to-back 34-point wins with former Vikings backup Jake Browning leading the offense. In his three starts this season, Browning has completed 79.3% of his pass attempts for 856 yards, four touchdowns, two interceptions and a 113.4 quarterback rating.

The Vikings are still looking for answers at quarterback after benching Josh Dobbs in Week 14. Nick Mullens was named the starter for Saturday’s matchup and is the fourth quarterback to start for Minnesota this season. Mullens has a career record of 5-12 as a starter, completing 65.4% of his passes for 27 touchdowns and 23 interceptions.

Competing for a role as the backup to Cousins, Browning lost the job to Sean Mannion and was released in September 2021, leading to his landing in Cincinnati.