How Vikings’ Looming IR Returns Could Give Offense Some Much-Needed Relief

Every NFL season brings adversity for every team, and the undefeated Minnesota Vikings aren’t an exception. Despite the vibes being at an all-time high in the middle of a 4-0 start to the campaign, the Purple and Gold are dealing with key injuries on the offensive side of the ball that have contributed to their struggles to score.

Heading into Week 4, the Vikings already had wideout Justin Jefferson out with an injury, while tight end Josh Oliver and running back Jordan Mason continued their injured reserve stints. Unfortunately, Minnesota’s injury list expanded after the 15-10 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, with starting left tackle Christian Darrisaw now in concussion protocol and No. 1 left guard Donovan Jackson’s season likely over due to a meniscus tear.

The Vikings’ offense isn’t firing on all cylinders at the moment, averaging 21.5 points (18th) and 262.8 total yards (31st) per game, along with an NFL-worst 4.4 yards per play. That said, being without Jackson and Darrisaw for any amount of time won’t exactly help the Purple and Gold find the end zone more often.

Even though perfectly replacing any injured player won’t be easy for head coach Kevin O’Connell, the Vikings’ bench boss should at least feel a tiny bit of optimism knowing that potential reinforcements are on their way.

Michael Jurgens, Ben Yurosek eligible to return to Vikings in Week 5

Now that we’re four games into the 2026 NFL season, players who started the season on injured reserve are finally eligible to make their debuts. For the Vikings, that means potentially seeing center Michael Jurgens and tight end Ben Yurosek return to the field sooner rather than later, after head coach Kevin O’Connell confirmed Monday that they’ll return to practice this week (h/t team writer Lindsey Young).

Getting Jurgens back would certainly be a boost for the Vikings’ interior o-line after the Wake Forest product started the season on IR due to an undisclosed injury. The former 2024 seventh-rounder played 309 offensive snaps in 15 games (three starts) for Minnesota last season and finished with 62.0 run-block and 61.3 pass-block grades on Pro Football Focus.

Jurgens’s eventual return could allow the Vikings to move pieces around during their Week 6 bye. Blake Brandel has been operating as Minnesota’s top center so far after being converted from left guard, but getting him back to his natural position would help with Jackson sidelined.

A healthy Jurgens would make that possible and help to keep an already-delicate offense afloat.

And considering how the Vikings’ TE depth beyond T.J. Hockenson is essentially just Gavin Bartholomew (who was invisible in Week 4), it’ll be nice to get Yorusek back, too.

The 24-year-old pass-catcher, who’s been on IR due to an undisclosed injury, made 12 appearances as an undrafted rookie with the Vikings last season. He didn’t see much action (three targets), but he made the most of it by catching two passes for 14 receiving yards and a first down. If he’s healthy enough, he could build on that in Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints, who are allowing the fifth-most catches (29) and receiving yards (306) to tight ends this season.

On top of that, Yorusek shone in pass protection, with a 79.6 blocking grade, per PFF. With Darrisaw sidelined, having another reliable pass-blocker to give quarterback Kyler Murray as much time as possible would be huge for O’Connell & Co.

Looking ahead

Jurgens and Yurosek are the kind of reinforcements the Vikings need right now, especially if they hope to remain perfect throughout October and beyond.

That said, both injured players need to return to practice and prove that they’re healthy enough first. They might get close to that stage in the coming days, but O’Connell might decide that holding them out of Sunday’s tilt and letting them heal during the bye week is the best course of action.

There might be some rust to shake off, and it could take time to get back into mid-season form, but it’s encouraging to know positive injury updates could be on the horizon for the Vikings after mostly bad news since the season started.

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