Injuries are beginning to mount early on for the Minnesota Vikings. Over one quarter of the team’s starters have already missed at least one game due to injury. Minnesota’s injury report has added more names than a petition to ban the Tush Push, and they’ll now head overseas without some key names.
But there is one shining silver lining through this bad run of injuries, and it may be the reason the Vikings reach the playoffs or beyond.
With so many starters going down, the Vikings have been forced to rely on their depth throughout the first three games. Despite all the bumps and bruises, they are sitting comfortably at 2-1. In some cases, the reserves have shown why they’re reserves (cough, cough, offensive line). There are some players, though, who have filled in admirably — perhaps even played better — and deserve to keep their spot in the lineup even when the starter is healthy.
Eric Wilson
After Blake Cashman suffered an injury, Wilson has slid in alongside Ivan Pace Jr. as a starting linebacker and hasn’t disappointed. Back in Minnesota after a few years in enemy territory, Wilson has continued to provide a spark on the Vikings defense.
Wilson’s two forced fumbles and an 83.5 run-defense grade on PFF lead the team, and his play through three games has certainly shown he’s a better player than the one who left here in 2020. While Cashman won’t be back for a few weeks yet, there should be an argument that Wilson, not Pace, should step up into the starting role alongside No. 51.
One of the many undrafted darlings on the Vikings, Pace has struggled early this season. He leads the team in tackles, but his 16.1% missed-tackle rate and a 44.1 PFF grade paint a more discouraging picture. Pace continues to show skill as a pass rusher, but his inability to develop into a more rounded, every-down linebacker may be why Wilson gets the nod over him when Cashman returns.
The Vikings brought Wilson in on a one-year deal, and he has likely earned himself a nice extension.
Jordan Mason
How do you get demoted on your day off? Well, just ask Aaron Jones Sr.
Through no fault of his own, an unfortunate injury has confirmed what some Vikings fans were already thinking: Mason needs to start.
While the Vikings stressed earlier this summer that the backfield would see a fairly even split between the duo, Mason has already shown that he clearly needs to be the bell cow for this team. His 5.3 yards per carry and nearly 60% rushing success rate both rank in the top 10 in the league among qualified runners, and he’s done it all behind a banged-up offensive line.
Jones, 30, also hasn’t looked like the same player who rushed for over 1,100 yards in 2024. He averaged just 3.5 yards per carry in his limited attempts before the injury, and notched just one first down. On the other hand, Mason has consistently produced and was never brought down behind the line of scrimmage in his first start of the year against the Cincinnati Bengals.
While Jones remains a valuable player and captain on this roster, the Vikings will probably significantly reduce his role upon his return from IR.
Jalen Redmond
Redmond filled in for an injured Javon Hargrave for a few quarters against Cincinnati. While he’s only played 55% of defensive snaps so far this season, it’s become clear he needs more. He leads the league in pressure rate among all interior defensive linemen this season. He’s also third in pass-rush win rate, ahead of names like Dexter Lawrence or Quinnen Williams. So, despite all the money invested up front in Jonathan Allen and Hargrave, it might be time to let Redmond take more snaps on the interior.
The Vikings somehow continue to find gems outside of the draft, and Redmond is no exception. While he likely won’t replace Hargrave or Allen, he’s destined to eat into some of their snapshares. The Harrison Phillips trade was initially widely contested among the fan base. Still, with Redmond and Levi Drake Rodriguez‘s emergence, it’s apparent why the Vikings dealt their former nose tackle for so little. The room is absolutely stacked.
Ultimately, in the NFL, you have to look through the windshield, not the rearview mirror. It’s hard to see fan favorites like Aaron Jones go down. However, with a next-man-up mentality, the Vikings may have inadvertently discovered their preferred lineup, featuring players like Mason, Wilson, and Redmond.
All eyes will turn to head coach Kevin O’Connell‘s decision surrounding J.J. McCarthy and Carson Wentz, but some of his other roster decisions may come a bit easier. So, while the injury bug has hit the Vikings hard, it has also coincidentally revealed the best version of this year’s team.
