We’ll learn more as the week advances, but the Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback situation is “murky” entering their Week 7 showdown against the struggling Philadelphia Eagles, according to a report.
“The Vikings’ quarterback situation is murky, to say the least,” said Tom Pelissero on Sunday, noting that J.J. McCarthy still isn’t 100% healthy from the high ankle sprain he suffered in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, and that Carson Wentz is dealing with a left shoulder injury that he suffered in London against the Cleveland Browns.
“J.J. McCarthy, I’m told, got good work during the bye week. He should be able to return to practice this week, but McCarthy is still not 100% on that ankle. They gotta see his mobility. They gotta see how the ankle responds. And they gotta make sure he is comfortable and in a groove from an operational perspective before they put him back out on the field,” Pelissero said.
Related: Whether J.J. McCarthy starts against Eagles is about more than his ankle
Here’s what Pelissero said about Wentz: “He could be limited in practice this week. A lot to sort through to figure out who’s going to be out there on the field next week against the Eagles.”
The Vikings have not revealed specifics about Wentz’s shoulder injury, with coach Kevin O’Connell saying on Oct. 6 that it “will be something that we’ll be taking a look at throughout this week.”
Meanwhile, O’Connell was optimistic about McCarthy when he last spoke to the media a week ago.
“We’ll be able to get him some extensive work, kind of as a lead-in to next week,” O’Connell said ahead of last week’s bye. “And then I anticipate his workload building up. We’re gonna really take advantage of that bonus Monday (practice), not only with him but with our whole team.
“J.J. got some work [Monday, Oct. 6] and he’ll get some work throughout the rest of the week,” O’Connell added. “We’ve got some other guys he’ll be getting some work with on the field and then we’ll pick it up officially next week, but I’m encouraged about where he’s at right now.”
The only other quarterback on the roster is undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, who very briefly entered the game against the Browns after Wentz went to the locker room with a shoulder injury late in the second quarter.
Whoever starts for the Vikings this week will need to be spry against an Eagles defense that has held opposing quarterbacks to an 83.3 passer rating, which ranks sixth-best in the NFL.
That said, the Eagles have just nine sacks all season. As irony would have it, the Eagles sacked Wentz nine times in his only career start against his former team. It happened in 2022, when Wentz played for the Washington Commanders.
We should learn a great deal more when O’Connell speaks to reporters at 12:30 p.m. CT Monday.
Source link
