Meanwhile, their opponent, the Baltimore Ravens, come in healthier than they have been all season. Thankfully, the Vikings are trending trending positively in that department, as well.

That doesn’t mean Minnesota will have their full complement of starters Sunday afternoon. But for the most part, the Vikings are healthier now than they have been for most of 2025. On Saturday, we got more info on a couple of Vikings players, some positive… the other not so much.

Aaron Jones returns for Minnesota Vikings

Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) reported Saturday that Aaron Jones — as expected — should be ready to go this weekend, after he exited the Lions game with an AC Joint injury. At 10:30 CST Sunday, the MN Vikings officially listed Jones as “Active”.

Vikings RB Aaron Jones (questionable, shoulder) is expected to play Sunday vs. Ravens, per sources.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 8, 2025

Aaron Jones stayed remarkably healthy in 2024, playing in all 17 of the Minnesota Vikings’ games. Last weekend, prior to injury, Jones carried the rock nine times for 78 yards and caught both of his targets for 20 more.

Week 9 in Detroit was Jones’ first game back, after spending four weeks on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. Beyond his bad shoulder, the 30-year-old is also dealing with a toe injury. If he can go as expected, it will be his fifth game of the year for Minnesota.

Although the availability has been limited (27 carries into 139 yards), Jones is averaging 5.1 yards per carry so far this season, his highest mark since 2022. On the season he has turned. He’ll again assume a split role in the backfield along with Jordan Mason.

Veteran cornerback signed with Okudah heading to IR

Jeff Okudah is the second Minnesota Vikings player to suffer a pair of concussions this season. Like Ryan Kelly, Okudah is headed to injured reserve as he is still dealing with symptoms. That means veteran Fabian Moreau is now headed to the active roster.

The #Vikings have signed CB Fabian Moreau to the 53-man roster and elevated RB Corey Kiner to the active roster for #BALvsMIN.

CB Jeff Okudah has been placed on IR. pic.twitter.com/vstZn6IlW2

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 8, 2025

Last season Moreau played in seven games for the Vikings. Signed to the practice squad at the beginning of the year, Sunday will be his third game of 2025.

Corey Kiner, who went undrafted out of Cincinnati, has been elevated to the active roster as well. He presents another option for the Vikings offense with Jones have a level of uncertainty to his status.

More importantly, their QB — arguably the biggest dual threat quarterback in NFL history (maybe Michael Vick?) — Lamar Jackson, who would easily be on pace to win his third MVP award, if not for an injury that cost him three of Baltimore’s eight games.

Much like their week 10 opponent, the Ravens are healthier now than they have been all season, even posting a completely clean injury report at the beginning of this week. On Friday afternoon, the Vikings countered with a final injury report of their own that, removing all but four players from their no-fly list vs Baltimore.

Final Injury Inactives: Minnesota Vikings almost all the way back

Aaron Jones suggested he’d be back on the field vs Baltimore, but the Vikings made him “questionable” entering the weekend. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Theo Jackson, who failed to make his way out of concussion protocol in time for kickoff.

Minnesota’s promising young safety showed symptoms Monday when he arrived at TCO Performance Center, fresh off a Vikings upset over the Lions the day before. Just like last week, both Josh Oliver and Jeff Okudah remain out. Neither player practiced this week. Other than that, the Minnesota Vikings are a full-go Sunday.

Final #Vikings injury report

OUT: Jeff Okudah and Josh Oliver

QUESTIONABLE: Theo Jackson and Aaron Jones Sr. pic.twitter.com/EU7eWwep3o

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 7, 2025

Kevin O’Connell has been without a bunch of key pieces this year, on both sides of the football. But things appear to be on the upswing, in the MN Vikings injury department. Of course, we all know how quickly that can change.

The Vikings enter their matchup vs Baltimore as pretty significant underdogs (+4.5) for a home team, especially with a home field advantage like what U.S. Bank Stadium offers. In other words, they’ll need all hands on deck to claim their second-straight victory, both of which would come in upset fashion.

Vikings far from injury free… but it could be worse

This is Jeff Okudah’s second concussion of the season, so it’s no surprise the Vikings are taking things slow with him, much like they have with center Ryan Kelly, who returned to practice this week, in a very limited fashion.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell provides an update on CB Jeff Okudah pic.twitter.com/7z1GnlE2sB

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 7, 2025

We knew Josh Oliver’s injury would be a little while too. So while both absences hurt, we know very well how much worse it could be. Lamar, Derrick Henry and the boys in purple and black will be locked and loaded, fresh off destroying the Miami Dolphins in week 9.

Much like they did Goff and the high powered Lions offense one week ago, the Minnesota Vikings must find a way to rattle Jackson and keep him from beating him with his legs… or winning will be awfully difficult, especially when you are still trying to take the training wheels off your own quarterback, on the other sideline

If the Vikings are going to hang onto any playoff hopes, they’ll need to pull an upset at Ford Field. That’s a tall task for J.J. McCarthy to step back into, and one he probably shouldn’t be asked to shoulder the load for.

More likely Minnesota could find themselves as sellers ahead of next week’s trade deadline. Looking to stockpile a few extra picks, they have some talent that can be parted out.

Aaron Jones may earn the MN Vikings a draft pick

Last season Aaron Jones joined the Minnesota Vikings after spending the first seven years of his career in Green Bay. Now re-upped for a second season in Minnesota, his one year deal presents an opportunity to recoup some value. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell sees the veteran running back as a logical trade chip.

Moving on from Jones might be more about saving money than anything else. He is owed just over $1 million in 2025 and has $2 million of his $10 million compensation in 2026 guaranteed, a deal the Vikings are likely to move on from this offseason. Would a team like the Chargers be willing to essentially pay $3 million to have Jones in its lineup for the rest of 2025?

ESPN

The Vikings have not leaned much on the run this season, and Jones has already missed some time. He is back healthy but has just 61 yards on 18 carries. That’s not going to generate a significant amount of interest even if a team is looking at his career-high 1,138 yards from last season.

Jones is certainly expendable for Minnesota though. They brought in Jordan Mason over the offseason and he has been as advertised. Moving Jones would remove the tandem aspect of the backfield, but if the Vikings aren’t going to compete, that carries less weight.

There are a few running back-needy teams that may just want a veteran for the stretch run. Jones doesn’t have to be the bellcow anymore, and he could be given an opportunity to go get a ring.

Moving on from Ivan Pace Jr.

After blowing up as an undrafted free agent, things have come crashing down for Ivan Pace Jr. this year. The Minnesota Vikings linebacker was benched when Blake Cashman returned, and he lost his job to journeyman veteran Eric Wilson.

It’s unlikely that Pace generates much of a return after falling out of favor in Minnesota. It is possible though, that another team thinks they can turn his slide around.

Pace, who has fallen out of the starting lineup and played just 17 defensive snaps over the past two weeks, is a restricted free agent after the season.

ESPN

If Minnesota isn’t going to start Pace, and he’s not viewed as a key depth piece this offseason, then there isn’t a great reason to keep him around. The Vikings should be looking for draft compensation and pull the trigger on the first good return they can find.

It remains to be seen how this all shakes out. The NFL trade deadline is set for November 4th at 3pm central time.

Veteran running back Aaron Jones had his 21-day practice window opened earlier this week after missing a month due to a hamstring injury. He’s now set to make his return to the 53-man roster.

Aaron Jones back for Minnesota Vikings

The only thing left for the Minnesota Vikings to guarantee the return of Aaron Jones on Thursday Night Football was to elevate him to the 53-man roster. That happened on Thursday afternoon, and he’ll be back in action for Carson Wentz.

The #Vikings have activated @Showtyme_33 from IR and waived LB Kobe King.

G Henry Byrd has been elevated to the active roster for tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/lRRfhEvr1r

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 23, 2025

Activating Aaron Jones cost the Vikings 2025 NFL Draft pick Kobe King. King was a 6th round pick for the Vikings in April, and he had appeared in five games for Minnesota this season. With just three snaps on defense, King’s more substantial exposure happened on special teams.

It’s possible that King clears waivers and lands back with the Vikings on the practice squad. Guard Henry Byrd has been elevated to the active roster for Thursday Night Football. That may be an ominous addition to the roster with a level of uncertainty surrounding left tackle Christian Darrisaw.

Aaron Jones returns to the lineup with 13 carries and 47 yards to his credit thus far this season. He played in just the first two games of the season, and will pair with Jordan Mason in the backfield. Kevin O’Connell can utilize the tandem, and their different skillsets, to keep the Chargers off balance.

Minnesota must grab a victory if they want to stay above .500 through the first eight weeks of the season. This is the toughest part of the Vikings schedule, and Kevin O’Connell needs his team to keep showing up on a weekly basis if they are going to keep playoff hopes alive.

Unfortunately Wentz may be without key members of his protection unit. That could be troublesome for a quarterback already dealing with a shoulder issue. A return by Aaron Jones seems likely, but the team will need to formally activate him from injured reserve if that’s going to be the case.

Vikings and Chargers offensive line get opposite updates

There has been no unit for the Minnesota Vikings more in flux this season than the offensive line. The intended five starters have yet to begin a game together, and that won’t happen in Week 8 either. On the flip side, Minnesota native Joe Alt is likely to return as Justin Herbert’s blindside blocker for the Chargers. Ahead of the Thursday Night Football matchup, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport provided updates for both teams.

From @GMFB: Key injury updates for the #Vikings–#Chargers TNF game, with an emphasis on big-time offensive linemen. pic.twitter.com/RSAgqbkr1Z

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 23, 2025

“We will see if Joe Alt is able to get out there. Trey Pipkins, who’s dealing with a knee injury, also questionable. If he comes back that would mean almost their whole offensive line is going to be there. That would be a good thing for the Los Angeles Chargers. The Minnesota Vikings, they have some key injuries as well…A not welcomed situation on the injury report yesterday, Christian Darrisaw their stellar left tackle has missed some time at various points in his career. He played 70 plays this past Sunday, he reported some soreness, significant soreness on Wednesday. Short weeks are brutal, so they are going to check him out today and maybe even put him through a pre-game workout and see if Christian Darrisaw is able to go. Officially listed as questionable, that would be a big one as well.”

Ian Rapoport – Good Morning Football

If one team has their left tackle and the other does not, there’s a very significant advantage gained. Darrisaw missed the first two games of the season and has played in each of the previous four. He suffered a knee injury last year that required season-ending surgery, and needing to work through setbacks in the healing process is not unsurprising.

It was evident how much of a downgrade backup Justin Skule was filling in for Darrisaw, and if that’s what Carson Wentz is working with on Thursday night, things will be difficult. Brian O’Neill was also on the injury report this week, and while he should play, the MCL sprain he suffered certainly can be limiting.

The Vikings need competent quarterback play against the Chargers if they are going to pull out a road victory. It would be better for their pass rush if Los Angeles didn’t have one of their bookends as well. Both situations are worth monitoring.

Aaron Jones trending towards a return for Minnesota Vikings

Veteran running back Aaron Jones has missed four games with a hamstring injury. He had his 21-day practice window opened this week, and while short-week practices are largely fluff, Rapoport offered an update as to his game status.

“Aaron Jones their starting running back who has been on IR for a month, four games to be specific, with a hamstring injury. Returned to practice this week. is questionable, and at least has a realistic chance to be activated and play tonight. We will see if it’s actually going to happen, but at least he has got a shot.”

Ian Rapoport – Good Morning Football

Minnesota will certainly give this one away pregame. Jones would need to be activated to the 53-man roster, which would cause for a public move to be made.

In two games this season, Jones has 13 carries for 46 yards. He started ceding touches to Jordan Mason prior to the injury, and how they are utilized together remains to be seen. With differing skillsets, they can complement each other well.

The Vikings and Chargers kickoff from Los Angeles at 7:15 pm central time. A loss would put Minnesota under .500 for the first time this season.

Carson Wentz was named the starting quarterback for the contest on Tuesday, and that means J.J. McCarthy will miss yet another week. There is some positive injury news as veteran running back Aaron Jones is back in the fold.

Aaron Jones returns to practice for Minnesota Vikings

As was the case for Blake Cashman last week, the Minnesota Vikings have opened the 21-day practice window for veteran running back Aaron Jones. He was the starter to begin the season, but will seemingly assume the 1B role behind Jordan Mason.

The #Vikings are opening RB Aaron Jones' 21-day practice window and he potentially could play as soon as Thursday night vs. the Chargers.

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 21, 2025

Jones was placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury that occurred in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons. Last season with Minnesota, he was the healthiest of his career and played in all 17 regular season games.

Mason already has a career-high four touchdowns this season and is averaging 4.5 yards per carry. Jones played in just the first two games of the season and logged 46 yards on 13 carries.

The tandem works well together in that Jones and Mason have two substantially different styles. Jones will also get the opportunity to run behind the most complete version of the offensive line since the season began.

Minnesota’s offense has been disjointed for a multitude of reasons this season. Of course they intended to have J.J. McCarthy under center, but they have not had consistent line play, and have been without starting wide receiver Jordan Addison as well.

If Jones is active on Thursday night, the Vikings will have their full complement of skill position players for the first time all season. Carson Wentz will need to lead the group and put those players in the best positions to succeed.

The Los Angeles Chargers are coming off a loss against Daniel Jones and the Indianapolis Colts. Jim Harbaugh’s team has lost three-of-four and Minnesota must take advantage of the opportunity.

On Monday it was announced that J.J. McCarthy suffered an ankle injury and would miss a matter of weeks. On Tuesday, it’s Aaron Jones joining Ty Chandler as the second running back to be placed on injured reserve.

Aaron Jones placed on IR by MN Vikings

Minnesota re-signed Aaron Jones this offseason after the veteran running back played in all 17 games last season. Expecting an oft-injured player to repeat that performance was never a good bet. Now, two weeks into the season, he is headed to injured reserve.

The #Vikings are placing starting RB Aaron Jones on injured reserve, sources tell me and @RapSheet.

Jones was ruled out of Sunday’s game because of a hamstring injury. Now he’s out for at least four more games. pic.twitter.com/61pxXlrrui

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 16, 2025

Jones suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. The injury forced him from the game and limited him to just five carries for 23 yards. Thankfully the Vikings hedged their bets on Jones by trading for former San Francisco 49ers running back Jordan Mason.

Mason has quickly established himself as the bruising running back Minnesota needs to push the ball down the field. Last season Jones failed to work in the middle of a poor offensive line. That line, while currently hurt, has been overhauled and gives Mason a theoretical chance.

In 17 games last season Jones turned in a career-high 1,138 yards on 255 carries. Now set to miss four games, he’ll come in far below that with just 46 yards on 13 carries thus far. Joining Mason, with Chandler still out for at least another three weeks, is recently signed Cam Akers. This is his third stint with the team, and he provides another veteran option ahead of undrafted rookie Zavier Scott.

Related: Vikings Signing Very Familiar Running Back

It has been a less-than-ideal start to the year for Minnesota on the injury front. They’ll play host to a Cincinnati Bengals team without their starting quarterback Joe Burrow on Sunday. From there, it’s optimism that a softer schedule gives Carson Wentz and the walking infirmary an opportunity to keep the season afloat.

Unfortunately, there were no late game heroics this time around. In fact, quite the opposite. The reality after week two for Minnesota is that J.J. McCarthy continues to look more lost than found, in head coach Kevin O’Connell’s 4D chess-style offense.

Then, you beyond the play of our redshirt rookie, to a roster that’s being attacked by early-season injuries (and a mysterious illness) that seem to take a new starter off the depth chart on a near daily basis.

Injuries piling up for MN Vikings in a bad way

But without a doubt, the injury fallout from Sunday night’s loss was the worst of them all.

On defense, (OLB) Jonathan Greenard was removed (oblique), though he did return. 2024 UDFA OLB Gabe Murphy — who was elevated to help fill in for an injured Andrew Van Ginkel — left with a knee injury.

On offense, both C Ryan Kelly and backup LT Justin Skule left early with concussions. RB Aaron Jones was removed with a hamstring injury.

Not looking good for Gabe Murphy. Lots of Vikings players looking pretty distraught.

— Eric Thompson (@eric_j_thompson) September 15, 2025

Vikings HC Kevin O’Connell says C Ryan Kelly has a concussion. Justin Skule has a concussion. Jonathan Greenard had oblique injury. Aaron Jones will be evaluated for a hamstring. Gabe Murphy’s MCL will be evaluated.

— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) September 15, 2025

None of the aforementioned offensive players were able to return and O’Connell is expecting Jones to miss Sunday vs Cincinnati.

If the two linemen play, we won’t know until late in the week. But the Vikings do not like to push concussions, so we are ruling them both out until further notice.

Biggest injury shocker of the year so far: JJ McCarthy

By the time the game ended on Sunday night, O’Connell’s team had added even more key players to the growing list of unavailable talent.

But the biggest surprise came during KOC’s press conference on Monday, when he announced that JJ McCarthy will miss at least one game (reportedly more) due to a sprained ankle. That makes recently acquired Carson Wentz the Vikings’ temporary starter.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell has announced J.J. McCarthy has an ankle sprain and he will more than likely miss the team's Week 3 game against Cincinnati. pic.twitter.com/01AhkeMpRK

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) September 15, 2025

Since training camp started, injuries have been a problem for the Minnesota Vikings, and they only seem to have gotten worse since the season started.

Latest injuries only make health matters worse

Entering week two, Minnesota was already without key starters. Andrew Van Ginkel and Jeff Okudah joined Christian Darrisaw, Harrison Smith, Blake Cashman (IR) and Ty Chandler (IR).

It’s expected that 2024 seventh round pick Michael Jurgens will fill in for Ryan Kelly. At left tackle, they just have to hope Darrisaw is ready to return.

Aaron Jones’ injury will mean more run for Jordan Mason, who’s outplayed his backfield PIC anyway. Still, don’t be surprised if the Vikings look for more RB help. Maybe another transaction involving Cam Akers…?

Related: What We Learned About Vikings in Lullaby Loss vs Falcons

Sunday was just one loss, and most of their issues are correctable. But it’s going to get increasingly difficult to play better with all these injuries.

Who knows, after Sunday’s game against the Falcons, TCO Performance Center may just be converted into an infirmary.

This offseason the Vikings decided to run it back with Jones. That may be a risky move given his age and injury history. They hedged their bet by acquiring Jordan Mason from the San Francisco 49ers.

The two will form a one-two punch, and Mason could conceivably be the front end of it.

Jordan Mason to lead the Minnesota Vikings backfield

Last season Aaron Jones was healthy and played all 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings. He’ll be 31 years old this season and banking on that reality to replicate itself is not a good bet. ESPN’s Dan Graziano doesn’t believe he’ll be the bell cow though.

The Vikings love Aaron Jones Sr. If you’ve ever talked to Jones, you know why. He is a great player and a great guy to have in your locker room. But he’s also 30 years old and coming off a 322-touch season.

The Vikings traded for Mason, the former 49ers back who they believe adds an explosive element to their run game. So far, they’ve been thrilled with Mason’s play, and they envision a pretty even split in running back duties this season between him and Jones. But during some Christian McCaffrey absences in San Francisco, Mason did show the ability to function as more than just part of a tandem. He ran for 789 yards on 153 carries last season. So it’s not hard to picture a scenario in which the Vikings decide to lean more on him as the season goes along. Again, nothing against Jones — this could just be the natural evolution of things in Minnesota.

ESPN

Last season Jones turned his 17 games of action into a career-best 1,138 rushing yards. He found pay dirt five times on the ground, and score twice on passes. He will again be an integral part of the offense.

If the Minnesota Vikings want to maximize Jones though, the goal should be to keep him fresh. Although he was active for every game last year, there were more than a few maladies he had to overcome. That’s part of the game but it doesn’t necessarily foster future success.

New Vikings RB Jordan Mason against the Vikes last season: 20 carries, 100 yards, 1 TD pic.twitter.com/BOhi1M26Y8

— SleeperVikings (@SleeperVikings) March 16, 2025

Mason has played plenty on his own filling in for the oft-injured Christian McCaffrey. Last season in just 12 games (six starts), Mason turned 153 carries into 789 yards and three touchdowns. He should see that sort of opportunity, or more in Minnesota this season.

Related: MN Vikings Were Sniffing Around Another WR

Both Jones and Mason are talented. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy will rely on each of them to contribute. Regardless of how paces the backfield, it’s hard not to feel good about the position as whole.

Although Adam Thielen is back for the Minnesota Vikings, the passing game will be without Jordan Addison (and potentially Jalen Nailor) for a bit. That could force Kevin O’Connell to lean into his running game. If he does, they’ll be ready.

Now with Darnold in Seattle and McCarthy as the signal caller, the expectations for Minnesota have changed. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah constructed a roster intent on winning now, and the hope would be that the Vikings can achieve just that.

With a young quarterback it should be expected that there will be bumps in the road. Hopefully they are minor though, and O’Connell can build on the success he led last season. The swing in potential outcomes could be massive.

A season of potential outcomes for MN Vikings

It’s beyond plausible that the Minnesota Vikings win less games than last season and have a better team. 14 wins doesn’t leave much room for growth, but a division title may not require that either. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert took a stab at the floor (6-11) and ceiling (11-6) for the 2025 season.

Is Kevin O’Connell serious about the run game? The Vikings coach took a step toward balancing his offense in 2024 from its pass-happy ways in 2022-23, but the ascendance of first-time starter J.J. McCarthy will necessitate a bigger shift. The Vikings will also need to run more effectively after ranking 25th in the NFL last season in EPA on running plays. There is good reason to think they can, after pairing Jordan Mason with Aaron Jones Sr. in the backfield and acquiring three new starters on the line. McCarthy continued to develop during training camp, but counting on him to be a 4,000-yard passer in his first season seems unrealistic.

Kevin Seifert – ESPN

What J.J. McCarthy looks like in his first season under center largely will be a reflection of those around him. O’Connell already proved an ability to get more from a quarterback last season (and those prior). McCarthy also steps into an offense ripe with playmakers and the best line we’ve seen in years.

What McCarthy thrived on with Michigan was an ability to utilize a strong running game. How good Minnesota’s can be is something Seifert pointed out as an x-factor.

Last year Aaron Jones put up a career-best 1,138 across a healthy 17 games. He will be 31 this season, and the body isn’t taking any less damage. In part, that’s why Jordan Mason was acquired this offseason. The tandem needs to be high-producing in order to lessen McCarthy’s load.

Related: MN Vikings QB Battle Heating Up – Max Brosmer Uncuttable, Sam Howell in Trouble…?

One aspect of the running game that could be problematic is depth. Ty Chandler has only fallen down the depth chart as time has gone on with Minnesota. If he’s not the answer, or cut, then bringing someone else in to supplement the top two makes a good deal of sense.

Are MN Vikings a contender in the North?

Last season 14 wins didn’t take the division because the Detroit Lions finished going 15-2. It seems unlikely that 11 wins would be enough to get the job done this time around, but it’s possible the group cannibalizes each other a bit.

The Vikings have one of the most talented rosters in football, and their front seven is being called the best in the sport. That still has to translate to wins on the field, and how they accomplish that could be a week-by-week thing.

Related: Patriots Head Coach Taking Joint Practices vs Vikings VERY Seriously

Realistically it seems more plausible that the Vikings win 11 games than them losing that many. We’ll start to find out how things look when Minnesota travels to Chicago in Week 1 against the Bears.