Pat Jones II, the Vikings’ outside linebacker, did not participate in Thursday’s practice, which suggests he may miss the team’s upcoming wild card playoff game against the Rams. Jones has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury during Week 17 against the Packers, and he also missed last Sunday’s game against the Lions. If he’s to make it back for Monday night’s playoff action, Jones will need to show significant improvement in the coming days.
In Jones’ absence, rookie Dallas Turner took on a larger role in Detroit, playing 25 snaps as the Vikings’ No. 3 outside linebacker behind Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel. Fellow rookie Gabriel Murphy was elevated from the practice squad and contributed seven snaps. Jones’ status will remain uncertain until the team gets a clearer picture of his progress later this week.
Running back Aaron Jones was the only other player listed as limited during Thursday’s practice, dealing with a quad injury. Despite this, Jones, who has played in all 17 games this season, spoke with the media after practice, and there is no indication that he will miss the playoff game. The Vikings have managed Jones’ workload throughout the season due to various minor injuries, but it seems unlikely that the veteran back will be sidelined for the postseason opener.
Meanwhile, quarterback Sam Darnold (quad) was listed as a full participant in practice, indicating that he’s not dealing with any major issues heading into the weekend.
In other news, rookie defensive tackle Taki Taimani, who has been on injured reserve since Week 8 due to an ankle injury, was activated for practice and participated fully on Thursday. The 330-pound Taimani could potentially be available for the Vikings’ wild card game, providing a boost to the defensive line.
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