Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings: Initial injury reports for both teams

Let’s get the week started!

Time to officially get Week 16 in the NFL underway with our look at the first injury reports of the week. Both the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions have put their lists out for Sunday’s “Winter Whiteout” game at U.S. Bank Stadium, so let’s have a glance at what both sides are looking at on the injury front.

Detroit Lions

Did Not Participate

• CB Jerry Jacobs (hamstring)
• TE Brock Wright (hip)

Limited Participation

• LB Derrick Barnes (shoulder)
• FB Jason Cabinda (knee)
• S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (pectoral)
• DT Levi Onwuzurlke (knee)
• OT Penei Sewell (shoulder)

Full Participation

• C Frank Ragnow (knee/back/toe)

It’s worth pointing out that Gardner-Johnson was just designated by the Lions to return from injured reserve, so he’s in his 21-day practice window for returning from IR. He’s been out for the majority of the season. Barnes, Ragnow, and Sewell are the starters that are listed for Detroit, but it doesn’t look like there are any major concerns on their side at this point.

Minnesota Vikings

Did Not Participate

• LB Danielle Hunter (illness)
• RB Alexander Mattison (ankle)
• CB Byron Murphy (knee)
• WR Jalen Nailor (concussion)
• OT Brian O’Neill (knee)
• DT Harrison Phillips (back)

Limited Participation

• DE Jonathan Bullard (ankle)
• DT Sheldon Day (ankle)

Full Participation

• LB Jordan Hicks (shin)

The Vikings, on the other hand, have five starters that sat out the first practice session of the week (if we’re still counting Mattison as the starter at running back). Hopefully the Vikings are simply being cautious will all of those players, but Mattison and O’Neill both missed last week’s game. Nailor is, apparently, still dealing with the effects of the concussion he suffered in the Raiders game, which is kind of scary.

On the bright side, Jordan Hicks’ quest to come back this week appears to be on the right track as he was a full participant in practice in his first session since being designated to return from injured reserve.

Those are the first injury reports of the week, folks. Here’s hoping that a lot of the issues on the Vikings’ side have a different designation on them when we get the interim reports on Thursday afternoon.