Head coach Kevin O’Connell and the Minnesota Vikings could have concerns for their Week 2 matchup against the Chicago Bears, and not with Carson Wentz or Kyler Murray, but Brian O’Neill and Jauan Jennings.
The Vikings announced that neither O’Neill nor Jennings participated in practice on Thursday, the latter due to a knee injury. It was a particularly ominous update for O’Neill after the two-time Pro Bowler got a limited session in on Wednesday.
O’Neill, 31, has missed multiple games in two of the past three seasons.
As a starter, his status is already worth monitoring. But O’Neill’s injury history adds to the uncertainty around his status.
“Interesting Vikings injury report here,” The Athletic’s Alec Lewis posted on X in reaction. “Notably RT Brian O’Neill did not practice with a knee injury. One to watch.”
Former Bills OL Could Replace Brian O’Neill for Vikings
O’Neill, who has more than $111 million in career earnings, is signed through 2030 on a four-year, $96 million contract. That just further underscores his significance to a Vikings offens that rallied from a 22-10 deficit to win 39-22 against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
VikingzFanPage believes that Ryan Van Demark would fill in if O’Neill misses Sunday’s contest.
So, not only do the Vikings not know if they will have starting quarterback Kyler Murray (concussion), but he or Carson Wentz could be playing behind a bit of a patchwork line.
Van Denmark is in his first season with the Vikings. A former undrafted free agent, he began his career with the Buffalo Bills. Van Denmark started six of the 43 games that he appeared in while with the Bills.
Jennings’ situation is different.
Concern Over Jauan Jennings Low
Jennings, who the Vikings list as their third starting wide receiver, has now missed back-to-back practices for his undisclosed personal matter, whatever it may be.
Notably, though, there is not much concern over Jennings’ status for Sunday. Jennings failed to haul in his lone target in Week 1, but he can make his impact felt in other aspects of a contest, specifically with his run blocking.
That is key against a Bears defense that has struggled against the run for the past year-plus.
Both Jennings and O’Neill are key cogs for the Vikings, and figure to be integral to their starting the season 2-0.
Vikings Get Bad News on $111 Million Pro Bowler, Starting WR Before Bears Game