Donovan Out til after the bye... Surgery

This team can’t catch a break. It’s been one of those years already.

Vikings rookie guard Donovan Jackson underwent surgery on his wrist Monday in Los Angeles and will miss the next two games, coach Kevin O’Connell said.

Jackson, the 24th overall pick out of Ohio State, suffered the injury Sept. 14 against the Falcons. He started and played 56 snaps Sunday against the Bengals while already having surgery scheduled for Monday.

“It was determined last week he could play in the football game and not do any further harm,” O’Connell said.

“All along Donovan had this feel of I’m playing, I can play,” O’Connell added, “and I’m sure he would possibly try to fight through it and worry about everything later, but sometimes you have to do what’s in the best interest of a really talented young player that we have.”

Jackson, 22, will make the trip to Dublin with the team, but O’Connell said they will hold him out through both international games against the Steelers and Browns while using the following bye week to help him heal.

“He’s off to a great start in his career,” O’Connell said. “Everything we hoped he would be and yesterday was a big-time day for so many layers for him: showing his toughness, showing his commitment and being a huge part of our ability to not only run the football, but just be effective on offense.”

The Vikings expect center Ryan Kelly and backup tackle Justin Skule to clear the concussion protocol and play Sunday vs. Pittsburgh, O’Connell said. Guard Blake Brandel, who started every game at left guard last season, will replace Jackson.

Brandel played both left tackle and left guard against Cincinnati, replacing Jackson briefly when the rookie’s nose was bloodied. O’Connell knew Jackson was playing through a different injury already.

“I was actually very relieved when I got out there and saw what it was,” O’Connell said.

Brandel, a 2020 sixth-round pick, will make his 24th start for the Vikings on Sunday. He has trained at every position and is technically the No. 3 left tackle. He didn’t replace Skule against Atlanta, when second-year tackle Walter Rouse stepped in, because Brandel was the only available backup center to Michael Jurgens, who had gone in for Kelly.

“He’s the only one in our group who can play all five,” right tackle Brian O’Neill said.

STRIB

That one royally sucks. It has been fun to watch him out there

Sigh. At least Brandel was functional at LG last year with Darrisaw next to him. It was after Darrisaw's injury that he got wrecked.

Man...

Get well soon big guy.

we just cant have anything nice....

purplefaithful wrote:
Vikings rookie guard Donovan Jackson underwent surgery on his wrist Monday in Los Angeles and will miss the next two games, coach Kevin O’Connell said.

I thought this was interesting...is there a specialist in LA that is better than anything in Minnesota (i.e. Mayo Clinic and more?)

Montana Tom wrote:

I thought this was interesting...is there a specialist in LA that is better than anything in Minnesota (i.e. Mayo Clinic and more?)

better plastic surgeons for the closure work,  dont want to risk his future as a hand model at this early age.

JimmyinSD wrote:

better plastic surgeons for the closure work,  dont want to risk his future as a hand model their early.

Damn that's funny Jimmy!  HAHAHA!