In fact, between early-season primetime matchups and early morning kickoffs overseas, Sunday will be the Vikings second noon start in seven games. Want a positive spin? The only other noon start of the year so far also came at home, right before the Vikings left for Dublin.

That’s right, Minnesota’s only other 12 PM start was week three against the Cincinnati Bengals, a contest the Vikings completely dominated, to the tune of 48-10. And just like that game, Carson Wentz is poised to start under center in place of JJ McCarthy.

Except this time, the 2024 first round pick is healthy enough to suit up as Minnesota’s emergency QB3, behind both Wentz and 2025 UDFA out of Dinkytown, Max Brosmer.

Minnesota Vikings linebackers activated off injured reserve

Two other players who were not in uniform that day against the Bengals, who like JJ McCarthy, will be in uniform Sunday against the Eagles — linebackers Blake Cashman and Tyler Batty, who have both been on injured reserve for over a month. But not anymore, after the MN Vikings officially activated both Saturday afternoon.

The #Vikings have activated OLB Tyler Batty and LB Blake Cashman from IR. pic.twitter.com/a197rCUi6X

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 18, 2025

Sunday against Philly will be Tyler Batty’s NFL debut. After impressing at training camp, the 2025 undrafted free agent suffered a knee injury near final roster cuts that cost him the first five games of his NFL career. We’ll see how the Minnesota Vikings decide to deploy him against the Eagles.

Return of Blake Cashman will be felt immediately

The future for Blake Cashman, as long as he can stay healthy, is much more clear. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah targeted the former Minnesota Gopher two offseasons ago, with visions of #51 patrolling the middle of Brian Flores’ defense for the foreseeable future.

That decision paid itself off in full during Cashman’s first season, when he played 14 games, collected 112 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 11 QB hits, all career high marks, to go along with a 72.0 PFF grade.

Blake Cashman had 13 total tackles, including a sack and TFL against the 49ers. That's not even counting his three pass deflections, one of which led to an INT.

He was all over the field. He had an incredible game in his return home to Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/2Fhmfo6xT1

— Matt Fries (@FriesFootball) September 17, 2024

Unfortunately, he came in with past injury issues that have come back to light in year two, where he flew all over the field for less than one quarter of Minnesota’s opener in Chicago, grabbing 3 tackles before straining his hamstring and subsequently being placed on IR.

Let’s hope Blake’s immediate injury issues are behind him, because the MN Vikings defense is a completely different animal when the Eden Prairie native is on the field, especially given how out of place Ivan Pace has looked at times this season without him.

Meanwhile, the MN Wild are 34-19-4 (72 points) and fighting to stay out of the Western Conference wild card conversation. They enter tonight’s interleague matchup vs Detroit as the 3rd and final Central Division playoff team in the West, four points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche (68 points), who hold the No. 1 wild card spot in the West.

Minnesota Wild lose Joel Eriksson Ek to practice injury

Unfortunately, news broke Tuesday morning that the Wild will play tonight without assistant captain and notorious instigator, Joel Eriksson Ek, after he suffered an injury at practice on Monday. It’s just the latest horrible luck injury this team has dealt with in 2024-25. According to Michael Russo (The Athletic), the 28-year-old Swede is going on injured reserve, where he is obligated to miss at least the next four games.

BAD #mnwild NEWS: Center Joel Eriksson Ek was injured in practice yesterday and has been placed on injured reserve. Must miss at least 7 days (next 4 games), but I hear he's going to be out a lot longer. Jakub Lauko will likely be activated off IR and replace him on roster

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 25, 2025

The Minnesota Wild defeated the Red Wings on Saturday despite Ryan Hartman serving a suspension, superstar Kirill Kaprizov nursing a lower-body injury (that only gets worse with time) and the rest of their best players — including Joel Eriksson Ek — fresh off a return from the 4 Nations Face-Off.

It wasn’t an easy win, either. The Wild had to storm back from a three-goal 3rd period road deficit to steal an overtime victory from the jaws of defeat at Little Caesars Arena, along with two much-needed points.

What are Wild missing without Eriksson Ek in the lineup?

Tonight, they’ll try for two more and they’ll have to do it without one of their leaders and arguably the heart and soul of their locker room. Joel Eriksson Ek has already missed 15 games this season due to injury. In the 42 games he has played, he’s amassed 9 goals and 14 assists (25 points) averaging 19:38 TOI.

Related: Ryan Hartman Suspension Shortened After Appeal

We’ve seen Ek take a huge step in his development over the last few seasons. After maxing out at 30 points through his first five NHL seasons, he potted 26 goals (49 points) in 2021-22, then pushed his point total all the way to 61 in 2022-23.

Last year was Ek’s first 30 goal season. He also posted a career high 64 points. When on the ice, he has been just as effective in 2024-25, but staying on the ice has been a chore for Ek, just like it has been for many of his teammates.

Middleton’s 13 points this season are only one shy of his total from 2021-22 and two shy of the 15 points he gained all of 2022-23. The 29-year-old Canadian has also piled up a +22 point differential, when on the ice, easily the best of his career.

Related: How to Watch the NHL Winter Classic in 2024

Unfortunately, all of that changed rather quickly on Thursday night, when Middleton used his wrist to block a point shot from Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard. In the video below, you can see Middleton look down at his wrist/hand right, immediately when the puck ricochets away, and he knows something is wrong.

Jake Middleton is going on Minnesota Wild Long-Term Injured Reserve

Shortly after, the Wild’s top-4 blossoming defenseman skated to the bench, and never returned. On Friday, we got the bad news that Jake Middleton’s injury requires surgery, and a stint on Long-Term Injured Reserve, which means he must miss at least 10 games and 24 total calendar days.

Here is Jake Middleton’s injury. His night ended 37 seconds into his first shift. Struck on hand by one of the NHL’s hardest shooters pic.twitter.com/CmLT5RdQQ3

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 13, 2024

The #mnwild has placed defenseman Jake Middleton on Long-Term Injured Reserve.

— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) December 13, 2024

This is just the latest blow the Minnesota Wild have taken, on the injury front. They’ve lost some of their best talents for large stretches of the 2024-25 season, including Jared Spurgeon early on, then forward staples like Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek, more recently.

Related: Minnesota Wild Trade 1st Round Pick for Top NHL-Ready Defenseman

Thursday, all three of those guys were back in the lineup, but the defense core was still missing Jonas Brodin. And now, that same group has lost Jake Middleton, just a quarter of the way through what was looking like by far the best season in his 6+ year NHL career.

WR Justin Jefferson has been designated for return; returned to practice pic.twitter.com/NqlbbyFiIq

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 8, 2023

Justin Jefferson return timeline/motives unknown

We still do not know when Jefferson plans to return, during his 3-week window, but he is not expected to play this weekend vs the New Orleans Saints. We also don’t know whether or not JJ’s game status is even based on injury anymore. There are rumors floating that his hesitations to get back on the field are contract-related.

Related: Vikings Think Kevin O’Connell Might be NFL’s Next Great Coach

According to Alec Lewis (The Athletic), Jefferson’s workouts inside TCO Performance Center have been intense. Obviously, surrounding new QB1, Josh Dobbs, with as much talent as possible is the goal. But JJ has a lot of cash on the line.

Jefferson has been working out aggressively inside the TCO Performance Center. Last week, he was sprinting throughout the indoor practice facility. He entered the locker room afterward in full sweat. This is happening at a fascinating timec, too. The Vikings have won four games in a row. They have four winnable games ahead.

Alec Lewis (The Athletic)

Here’s 20 seconds of Justin Jefferson at walk-thru. Would be a decent candidate to be the Vikings’ emergency QB, but again, I don’t think he is playing this week. pic.twitter.com/FgBYYZLc12

— Kevin Seifert (@SeifertESPN) November 8, 2023

Who knows how all of this turns out… but it sure seems like we are inching closer and closer to a contract extension that, in all reality, might need to happen before Jefferson returns to the field. And call me a selfish shellfish… but if I had $100’s of millions on the line, I’m not sure I’d put it all on the line for my teammates either.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

After the four weeks is up, players can be taken off IR, and still have 21 days to practice with their team, before they are required to be activated to the 53-man roster. With the spot that opened, as a result of Davenport hitting IR, the Vikings activated RB Kene Nwangwu who was in his post IR 3-week practice window.

#Vikings roster moves

– Placed OLB Marcus Davenport on IR

– Activated RB Kene Nwangwu to 53-man roster

– WR Jalen Nailor designated for return; returned to practice pic.twitter.com/VFArUR3gVw

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 18, 2023

Marcus Davenport placed on Injured Reserve

Ian Rapoport (NFL Network) reported on Monday night that the oft-injured former New Orleans Saint was expected to land on injured reserve. Rapoport’s initial report put Davenport’s recovery time as 4-6 weeks.

Related: Behind Scenes, Vikings Readily Fielding Flood of Trade Offers for Key Players

The Vikings signed Davenport early last offseason, as a legitimate threat for offensive lines to deal with, opposite Danielle Hunter. When available, he completely changes the dynamic of Minnesota’s defense.

Much like Hunter, he’s an athletic anomaly, standing at 6’6″, 265 pounds with agility, speed and power that neither physics nor chemistry can reasonably explain.

Signing backfiring on Minnesota Vikings all season

But you’re only as good as your availability and we’re talking about a supposedly key defensive player who has not been available for the Minnesota Vikings very often, since his signing. An injury to his other ankle kept Marcus sidelined for most of the first three weeks, before he was briefly able to showcase his obvious talent in weeks 4 and 5.

Unfortunately, that impressive 1st impression didn’t last more than 2.5 weeks. And now, his numbers on the season (3 starts, 118 snaps, 7 tackles, 2 sacks) will remain dormant through, at least, week 10.

Related: Minnesota Vikings Defense Rankings 2023 – Week 7

Again, numbers only tell so much of the story. Marcus is well-worth his contract, likely much more, if healthy. But that is not reality and the Vikings are going to pay for this signing the rest of this season.

.@DWonnum got the sack.

But it doesn't happen without @DHunt94_TX's presence and Marcus Davenport's spin move.

📺: https://t.co/9xxfFo5eic pic.twitter.com/qXYMmE34DX

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 4, 2023

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan