The Minnesota Vikings picked up a big win in Week 1, as they managed to stage a late fourth-quarter rally to pick up a 39-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers. With Kyler Murray getting forced out of the game early due to a concussion, things seemed bleak for the Vikings, but they were able to find life late in the game and carry it all the way to the finish line.
The guy who led Minnesota to victory under center was backup quarterback Carson Wentz, who tossed three touchdowns after filling in for Murray. As of right now, the Vikings don’t know whether Murray or Wentz will be starting in Week 2, and on Thursday, a new injury update on Murray was revealed that will surely catch Wentz’s attention.
Kyler Murray Limited at Practice for Vikings on Thursday
After signing with the Vikings in the wake of his release from the Arizona Cardinals, Murray won the starting quarterback job over J.J. McCarthy fairly early into training camp. His debut with Minnesota was cut short by a brutal hit that saw him suffer a concussion, which threw his status for Week 2 up in the air.
Rather than turning to McCarthy, the Vikings threw Wentz into the fray against the Packers, and he did enough to lead his team to victory. Some folks have wondered if he played well enough to hold onto the starting job over Murray, even once he’s healthy, but all signs point to Wentz returning to the bench when Murray is ready to go.
Recovery timelines for concussions vary greatly, but Murray seems to actually have a shot at playing in Week 2. He practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday, and while he still has some steps to get through in the concussion protocol process, the fact that he was practicing at all was encouraging. Sure enough, Murray was limited again on Thursday, setting the stage for a very important day on Friday.
For the second consecutive day, the Vikings listed QB Kyler Murray as a limited participant in practice due to his concussion,” Adam Schefter of ESPN shared in a post on X.
Could Kyler Murray Actually Play for the Vikings in Week 2?
The fact that Murray is limited indicates that he isn’t out of the woods in the concussion protocol just yet, but the Vikings are leaving the door open for him to make a quick recovery. Murray can’t play if he doesn’t clear the concussion protocol, but he doesn’t necessarily have to clear the protocol and practice fully on Friday in order to play on Sunday.
It still feels like Murray is fighting an uphill battle to play in Week 2, which would mean Wentz would find his way back onto the field for the second straight game. If he can practice fully on Friday, Murray could very well be on track to play, but until he clears the concussion protocol, Wentz has to be viewed as the favorite to lead the team’s offense against the Chicago Bears.
Vikings’ Latest Kyler Murray Injury Update Will Catch Carson Wentz’s Attention