The Minnesota Vikings have been struck by injuries in their Week 16 game against the New York Giants. After losing starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy to a hand injury, their offensive line has taken a hit.
Minnesota Vikings center Ryan Kelly has been ruled out with a concussion, according to The Athletic’s Alec Lewis. This latest concussion would mark the third concussion of the season for Kelly and the sixth documented concussion of his career.
Earlier in Kelly’s career, three concussions occurred over the first eight NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Furthermore, that number increased this season after concussions in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons and Week 4 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers, which prompted the Vikings to place him on injured reserve.
Kelly returned last month with added protection, changing helmets and wearing a Guardian Cap during games. Moreover, the extra protection appeared to be working as December 21 marked the fifth game since returning.
J.J. McCarthy Gets Injured Again for the Vikings
Along with Kelly, McCarthy didn’t play the second half against the Giants. The Vikings’ starting signal-caller injured his right hand late in the second quarter against New York and was ruled out at halftime. His exit marked the most significant of several injuries Minnesota sustained in the game’s opening half, including Kelly’s concussion.
With 25 seconds left on the clock, Giants linebacker Brian Burns brought down McCarthy, forcing a fumble. Safety Tyler Nubin recovered the ball and took it in for a touchdown. McCarthy visibly winced as medical staff checked his hand before heading straight to the locker room.
Since the Vikings selected McCarthy with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 draft, injuries have consistently disrupted his career. He sat out his entire rookie season after tearing the meniscus in his right knee. This season, a right ankle sprain sidelined him for five games, and a concussion added another missed game.
Should the Vikings Trade for a New QB
With McCarthy unable to stay healthy, along with inconsistent play, CBS Sports NFL analyst Danny Kannel floated the idea of pursuing Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, who was recently benched in favor of Quinn Ewers.
“I think there are a couple of different scenarios to consider,” Kannel said during a December 19 appearance on “CBS Sports HQ.“ “One, a team that’s potentially going to draft a young quarterback and then bring in Tua as a bridge, where he can start. You put him in a situation and ask him to be a mentor. I don’t know if Tua will sit comfortably knowing that he’s going to be a mentor, but that’s the reality of his career right now.
“You [can] go to a place that has a young quarterback who is struggling like Minnesota. Remember, Minnesota had Daniel Jones and Sam Darnold last year [and] moved on from both to bet on J.J. McCarthy. That hasn’t worked. He’s still on his rookie deal. So, you could bring in Tua at a reduced rate. But again, he can start and is capable of leading an offense. That type of situation would work out best for Tua.”
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