Everybody from the Twin Cities to the Iron Range breathed a sigh of relief when the Vikings diagnosed quarterback Sam Darnold with a knee bruise.

There was another exhale when the Vikings released their injury report on Wednesday afternoon as Darnold was listed as a full participant in practice. Technically, the Vikings held a walkthrough instead of a practice, so it’s worth monitoring Darnold’s status moving forward.

Nonetheless, the fact that Darnold seems to have avoided anything serious is good news for the Vikings, especially considering how well he’s been playing throughout the 3-0 start.

The rest of the injury report for the Vikings was rather extensive, highlighted by center Garrett Bradbury (ankle), linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. (ankle), and safety Jay Ward (knee) listed as nonparticipants.

A bright spot for the Vikings was receiver Jordan Addison (ankle) being listed as a limited participant, marking the first time he’s participated in any capacity since getting injured in the season opener. The other limited participants for the Vikings included tight end Josh Oliver (wrist), defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard (knee), edge rusher Dallas Turner (knee), and linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (knee).

Asked if he planned to have walkthroughs more regularly as a way to keep players fresh, Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said the approach would likely vary on a weekly basis. He then turned the focus to the Vikings going up against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field, adding “I do know we’re going to need to be as close to 100% to have a good chance.”

Greenard earns accolade

After posting a trio of sacks against his former team last weekend, edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week.

“The first of his career,” O’Connell said. “It’s really cool to see him making such an impact here early on.”

The presence of Greenard played a big role in the Vikings earning a 34-7 win over the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. He applied constant pressure while rushing the passer and finished with a career high 3.0 sacks.

This is the 12th time the Vikings have had a player earn an NFC Player of the Week honor with O’Connell at the helm.

Hockenson still progressing

It’s only a matter of time before star tight end T.J. Hockenson is back in the mix for the Vikings. He’s been spotted around TCO Performance Center at various points throughout the past month and seems to be doing very well as he works his way back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

When will he return to practice?

“I’ll continue to defer to the medical staff on that,” O’Connell said. “Hoping to get T.J. up and rolling as soon as possible.”

Though the Vikings have missed having Hockenson in the lineup, O’Connell praised him for staying engaged throughout the recovery process.

“He’s done everything we asked,” O’Connell said. “He’s itching to get out there.”

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