The Minnesota Vikings have suffered a major blow to their quarterback depth chart after Sam Darnold suffered a new injury in practice.
Darnold, who was acquired by the Vikings in a trade with the Carolina Panthers last offseason, has been dealing with a ankle injury that has kept him out of action since Week 4. However, he had been making progress in his rehabilitation and was expected to return to practice this week.
Unfortunately, Darnold suffered a setback in practice on Wednesday and is now expected to miss multiple weeks.
The Vikings have not yet disclosed the exact nature of Darnold's new injury, but it is believed to be a "low-grade" muscle strain or sprain.
Head coach Kevin O'Connell said that Darnold will be re-evaluated in 1-2 weeks, but it is possible that he could miss even longer.
Darnold's injury is a significant blow to the Vikings, who are already dealing with injuries to several key players, including star receiver Justin Jefferson.
With Darnold out, the Vikings will be forced to rely on veteran backup Nick Mullens, who has started just six games in his career.
Darnold's injury is a major setback for the Vikings, who were hoping to have him back on the field soon.
However, the team is confident that Darnold will be able to return to full health and become a valuable contributor to the offense.
In the meantime, the Vikings will need to rely on Mullens to step up and lead the offense.
Here are some additional details about Darnold's injury and its impact on the Vikings:
- Darnold was originally injured in Week 4 against the New Orleans Saints.
- He missed the next three games before returning to practice in Week 8.
- Darnold suffered the new injury in practice on Wednesday.
- The Vikings are currently 6-1 and lead the NFC North.
- They have a bye in Week 9 before facing the Washington Commanders in Week 10.
The Vikings will continue to monitor Darnold's progress and provide updates on his condition as they become available.
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