When the Vikings are at full strength, they might have the best group of pass catchers in the NFL, led by superstar receiver Justin Jefferson. But they won’t be at full strength on Sunday afternoon against the New York Giants on Sunday afternoon because star tight end T.J. Hockenson continues to rehab a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

To make matters worse, the Vikings now have to worry about standout receiver Jordan Addison and speedy receiver Jalen Nailor. They were both limited participants in practice on Wednesday afternoon as they work through ankle injuries.

The fact that Addison popped up on the injury report was assumed after he suffered an ankle injury during joint practices in Cleveland last month. The fact that Nailor popped up was something of a surprise after he made it through training camp without a hitch.

The good news for the Vikings is head coach Kevin O’Connell seemed encouraged by Addison’s prognosis.

“He’s doing better,” O’Connell said. “I think Jordan is in a good spot, and I feel pretty good about him making the game.”

As for Nailor, O’Connell noted that he’s a little bit behind Addison in the recovery process, adding that he would provide another update later this week.

“I feel really good about where Jalen is at coming off the training camp he had,” O’Connell said. “He got a lot of work with that first group.”

Cashman back at practice

After suffering a finger injury during joint practices, linebacker Blake Cashman was a full participant in practice on Wednesday afternoon.

Though he will have to wear a protective covering on his pinky for the foreseeable future, the fact that Cashman was back out there was a boost for the defense.

“I’m not overly concerned about what contraption he has on his pinky,” O’Connell said with a laugh. “I’ve felt the addition of Blake, all jokes aside. He’s been phenomenal for us. I expect that to show up on Sunday.”

Vikings announce their captains

The following players have been named captains for the 2024 season: Jefferson, quarterback Sam Darnold, right tackle Brian O’Neill, and fullback C.J. Ham on offense; safety Harrison Smith, safety Josh Metellus, and defensive tackle Harrison Phillips on defense; and long snapper Andrew DePaola on specials teams.

The announcement was made in conjunction with the unveiling of the Jim Marshall Vikings Captain Legacy Wall. It was named after Marshall, a 14-time captain for the Vikings during his career.

“A great way to honor him and just continue to highlight the great history of our organization,” O’Connell said. “We’re really proud of it. It will have this year’s captains photo along with a photo of Jim and a little bio. It will also list every captain in the history of the Vikings there as well.”

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