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Vikings Hit with Trifecta of Terrible News
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- Vikings Hit with Trifecta of Terrible News
Kevin Jairaj
While the Minnesota Vikings ' season is winding down, the club fired up five roster moves this week, preparing for the remaining contests against the New York Giants , Detroit Lions , and Green Bay Packers . The transactions were mostly terrible news.
Minnesota's Week 16 prep turned into damage control fast, with major defensive and offensive losses forcing immediate lineup and depth pivots.
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Most involved injuries, and here's a peek at the roster movement from Week 16.
Three Bad Vikings Developments Shift Week 16 Plans
Some players hit the shelf; a couple entered the fold.
Jonathan Greenard and Harrison Phillips react after dropping C.J. Stroud for a fourth-quarter sack at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the date Sep. 22, 2024, marking a late defensive surge against Houston. Kenyon Green and Harrison Smith linger nearby as Minnesota resets, capturing a moment of coordinated pressure that helped swing momentum during a critical sequence. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker–Imagn Images
OLB Jonathan Greenard to IR
Greenard is done for the rest of the year.
NBC Sports ' Charean Williams wrote this week , "Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell announced on Monday that Greenard's second season with the Vikings would end with shoulder surgery after the edge rusher aggravated his injury in Sunday's victory over the Cowboys. He initially injured his shoulder in Week 10 against Baltimore ."
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The criticism around Greenard has been loud but also a little lazy. He's generated pressure in bunches without cashing in consistently, earning an "almost sack" label that exists mostly to frustrate fans . Those "almost sack" totals don't show up anywhere official, but they've driven the conversation anyway.
Strip that away, though, and Greenard's season hasn't been close to a disappointment. He's played solid football, particularly early in the year, when his disruption was steady and visible. As things stand, he's under contract and lined up to return in September 2026 as a starting-caliber edge defender.
The only real pivot point would come if Minnesota chooses to lean fully into Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel long-term. In that scenario — and only in that scenario — Greenard becomes a financial discussion. Cutting him before June 1, 2026, would leave $9.9 million in dead money while freeing up $12.4 million in cap space.
A post–June 1 designation shifts the math dramatically, dropping the dead cap to $3.3 million and opening up roughly $19 million. Trade numbers land in a similar neighborhood.
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That said, this is largely a theoretical exercise. Moving on from Greenard isn't the expectation, and it's not the direction things currently point. But he won't be back this season.
S Josh Metellus to IR
It wasn't just Greenard. Metellus is gone, too. He tore his labrum earlier this year and played through the injury.
His wife wrote on Instagram this week after the news of Metellus' season-ending injury went public: "The strongest person I've ever known. It took everything in him to finally call it. He played week after week after week with a torn labrum and never once complained or questioned it. His love for the game and this team runs deeper than most will ever understand. I'm so proud to be your wife."
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke delivers a pass as Minnesota Vikings safety Josh Metellus closes in at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with the date Nov. 5, 2023, tied to a matchup in Atlanta. Heinicke worked under pressure as Minnesota's secondary disrupted passing lanes, reflecting a defensive look that forced quick decisions throughout the afternoon. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine–USA TODAY Sports
Metellus was often on the Vikings' injury reports and could even be seen in pain on the field throughout games. The reason is now evident — a torn labrum.
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Minnesota will now lean on Metellus' safety teammates, Harrison Smith , Theo Jackson , and Jay Ward .
LT Christian Darrisaw to IR
The worst news of all, Darrisaw is done for the year.
ESPN's Kevin Seifert wrote Friday , "The Minnesota Vikings placed left tackle Christian Darrisaw on injured reserve Friday, concluding an unusual season in which he could never fully return from a left knee injury that occurred nearly 14 months ago."
"Coach Kevin O'Connell said Friday that Darrisaw has not suffered a setback or a new injury. O'Connell said it's his 'personal belief' that Darrisaw will be able to resume a normal practice and playing routine next season."
Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook celebrates with offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw after a late fourth-quarter touchdown at U.S. Bank Stadium, with the date Oct. 30, 2022, marking a win over Arizona. The moment captured Minnesota's offensive cohesion as Cook crossed the goal line and linemen gathered to punctuate a decisive scoring drive. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker–USA TODAY Sports
And with that, a nine-month-long waiting game begins on Darrisaw's long-term health. The fact that his surgically-repaired knee from an ACL tear suffered 14 months ago is still a problem should raise eyebrows. The Vikings can't afford to have LT instability, not with J.J. McCarthy 's pivotal third season around the bend.
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Bonus Not-Bad News: Practice Window Opened for TE Gavin Bartholomew
Remember the Vikings' 6th-Round draft pick? A tight end from the University of Pittsburgh? He's Gavin Bartholomew, and after about three and a half months of a back injury recovery, Minnesota has greenlit his practice window.
With any luck, Bartholomew will see some TE3 action before the end of the season to stack some momentum for his sophomore season in 2026.
If so, Ben Sims or Ben Yurosek will probably be released and added to the practice squad.
Bonus Not-Bad News: OT Caleb Etienne Signed to Practice Squad
This isn't Travis Etienne . It's not Trevor Etienne either. But the Vikings are bringing in a different Etienne, giving Caleb Etienne a look as the season pushes into its final stretch.
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Minnesota made it official Tuesday, just days ahead of a road game against the Giants, when the team announced the practice squad signing of Etienne.
For Etienne, the move reopens a door that appeared closed at the end of August. He hasn't logged any NFL snaps — or even stuck on a practice squad — since the Bengals let him go during final roster cuts. That changes this week, at least in a limited capacity, as he joins Minnesota's orbit.
Etienne arrives as an older rookie, set to turn 25 next summer, with a winding football résumé. A New Orleans native who played high school ball at Warren Easton, his college path bounced across the map: Fort Scott in 2019, Butler in 2020, Oklahoma State from 2021–22, and BYU over the past two seasons.
He went undrafted in 2025 and was scooped up shortly thereafter by Cincinnati as a priority free-agent signing. Etienne spent the entire spring and summer trying to carve out a role, either on the 53-man roster or the practice squad. When roster trimdowns arrived, however, the Bengals moved on completely, leaving him without a landing spot — until now.
