The Vikings put right tackle Brian O'Neill and center Austin Schlottmann on injured reserve Tuesday, two days after both players were knocked out in the first quarter against the Packers.
Vikings place right tackle Brian O'Neill on injured reserve, likely ending his season
O'Neill injured his calf in Sunday's loss to the Packers. The team signed a center and tackle to its practice squad.
January 4, 2023 at 12:40AM
O'Neill had already been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Bears by coach Kevin O'Connell because of "pretty significant" calf injury suffered during Darnell Savage's interception return for a touchdown in Green Bay. But going on injured reserve means O'Neill must sit out four games, effectively ending his season unless the Vikings reach the Super Bowl. O'Neill, a team captain, has been a fixture in the starting offensive line since his rookie season in 2018.
Schlottmann, who was starting at center for the injured Garrett Bradbury (back), was lost for the season after sustaining a fractured fibula in his left ankle.
To help fill holes on the depleted line, the Vikings signed former Browns center Greg Mancz and former Rams tackle Bobby Evans to their practice squad.
Chris Reed made his first appearance at center in an NFL game Sunday in place of Schlottmann while Oli Udoh stepped in for O'Neill. Udoh, who started 16 games last season at right guard, is expected to start against Chicago and in the playoff opener in two weeks.
It is unclear whether Mancz, who has started 32 NFL games (most recently four games at center for the Dolphins last season), will be thrust into a significant role. He spent time this season on the Bills and Browns practice squads, but appeared in only one game. He was waived by Cleveland on Dec. 23.
Bradbury has missed the past four games because of a lower back injury and hasn't practiced since a Dec. 17 car accident, which he said caused a "setback" for the injury. O'Connell said Monday he hoped Bradbury will be back in time for the playoff opener in two weeks.
The Vikings struggled with false starts in Green Bay after Reed went in for Schlottmann, and O'Connell said the team has to get Reed "as much repetition as we can" in practice.
Evans has started 12 games in the four seasons with the Rams, O'Connell's former team. A tackle in college and as a rookie, when he made seven starts, Evans was more recently used at guard by the Rams.
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
