Predicting the 6 Vikings inactives for Week 2 vs Eagles
Last week, the Minnesota Vikings didn’t have any surprises with their inactive list. They prioritized keeping rookies on the sidelines and they only had one player miss the game due to injury.
As the Vikings approach Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, the injury report is minimal with only three players on it and only one truly questionable at this point..
Here are the six projected Vikings inactives for Monday nights game.
CB Andrew Booth Jr.
Aug 14, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr. (23) in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
There is a real chance that Booth Jr. could play on Monday but the Vikings might be wanting to play it safe with the second-round pick.
After the preseason, Booth Jr. ended up being sixth on the depth chart, last among cornerbacks behind even Kris Boyd. His penalties are also an issue because is is physical and adjusting to the NFL game.
OT Vederian Lowe
Mar 4, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois offensive lineman Vederian Lowe (OL29) goes through drills during the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The beginning of the Kwesi Adofo-Mensah era saw him prioritize keeping all of his draft picks instead of other players that seemed more worthy of a roster spot. With nearly 35″ arms and an ideal 6’6″ frame, Lowe needs a lot of time to develop and would likely get claimed if put on waivers, hence the roster spot.
DL Esezi Otomewo
Oct 16, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive linemen Esezi Otomewo (9) celebrates a stop against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on fourth down during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports
Otomewo is in a very similar place to Lowe: a massive toolbox at his disposal without the ability to use it consistently. An ideal 5-tech, Otomewo has a nice athletic profile and long arms to maximize his pass rush. He doesn’t shed blocks well enough yet. Over time, Otomewo will be the starter but it will take 1-2 years to get there.
OG Chris Reed
Jul 28, 2022; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings guard Chris Reed (62) performs a drill during training camp at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
The former Indianapolis Colts guard seemed primed to win the starting right guard job before an injury sidelined him for the first two preseason games. That allowed Ed Ingram to win the starting job and Reed fell by the wayside. He will get an opportunity to play soon but the flexibility of Oli Udoh to play both guard and tackle is too valuable.
RB Ty Chandler
Aug 14, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Ty Chandler (32) carries the ball against the Las Vegas Raiders during a preseason game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
The preseason standout Chandler finds himself stuck in a loaded backfield. With Dalvin Cook, Alexander Mattison and Kene Nwangwu in front of him, it’s hard to see Chandler being active for any games barring injuries. The most likely scenario of him being active is in a return role if Nwangwu struggles or fumbles a couple times.
OLB Luiji Vilain
Jun 7, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Luiji Vilian (43) performs a drill during mandatory mini camp at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
The defensive star of the preseason, Vilian was kept to keep depth at the edge position. Both Danielle Hunter and Za’Darius Smith have a history of getting hurt the last two seasons which makes having a fifth player at the mosition that much more. Vilain has a potentially bright future in the NFL as he is a hyper athlete that never quite put it together in college.
