Vikings at Chargers: Initial injury reports

It’s time to start getting ready for this week’s game, ladies and gentlemen, as the Minnesota Vikings held their first practice of the week on Wednesday in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Well, they held a walkthrough. . .thanks to the team’s increased COVID protocols that was all they could do on Wednesday, so their practice participation report is estimated. Here’s what both teams put together.

Minnesota Vikings

Did Not Participate

• LB Anthony Barr (knee)
• DT Michael Pierce (elbow)

Limited Participation

• CB Bashaud Breeland (groin)
• CB Cameron Dantzler (ankle)
• CB Harrison Hand (ankle)
• G Oli Udoh (knee)

Full Participation

• LB Eric Kendricks (triceps)
• DT James Lynch (toe)

Again, Barr misses the first practice session of the week. . .and, again, Michael Pierce is sitting things out. It certainly sounds like Pierce isn’t really that close to coming back, which again begs the question of why the team didn’t simply place him on injured reserve back when this all started.

The cornerback room is having all kinds of issues, with three players at that position being limited at practice on Wednesday. Remember, this is the last of the three games that Patrick Peterson is required to sit out as well. There aren’t a whole lot of healthy cornerbacks available for the Vikings as things stand right now.

Los Angeles Chargers

Did Not Participate

• S Nasir Adderley (ankle)
• WR Keenan Allen (knee)
• CB Michael Davis (hamstring)
• RB Justin Jackson (quadriceps)
• CB Ryan Smith (knee)

Limited Participation

• S Alohi Gilman (ankle)
• S Trey Marshall (ankle)

Full Participation

• TE Stephen Anderson (ankle)
• CB Asante Samuel Jr. (concussion)

A significant number of injuries for the Chargers to start the week, with five players being listed as not participating in their first practice of the week. Their secondary is dealing with quite a few issues as well, as they have three safeties and three corners listed on their injury report. Allen is the biggest name on the list, but I don’t think there’s any reason to believe he won’t be ready to go when these teams meet on Sunday.

Those are the first injury reports of the week, folks. We’ll be monitoring the status of all of these players as the week progresses.