Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz will make NFL history when he steps on the field against the Bengals this Sunday.
Wentz will be the first player to start for six different teams over six consecutive NFL seasons. He was with the Eagles, Colts, Commanders, Rams, and Chiefs before joining the Vikings shortly before the start of the 2025 season.
“It sounds crazy when you say that,” Wentz said, via Alec Lewis of TheAthletic.com. “It’s definitely given me a different perspective. Going from being a starter, traded, cut, being a backup behind some future Hall of Fame quarterbacks and seeing things done at a really high level. That’s given me some perspective. And also just the perspective of not taking this for granted.”
Sunday’s game will be significantly different from Wentz’s last two starts. He started Week 18 games for the Rams and Chiefs the last two seasons because they were resting starters ahead of the playoffs, and Wentz welcomes the chance to play in a game with more stakes.
“It’s exciting for me,” Wentz said. “I’m not going to lie. It’s been a couple of years since I played in a game like this with real consequences.”
It’s not clear how long the Vikings might be without J.J. McCarthy and a good showing for Wentz this week would make it easier to wait for the 2024 first-round pick’s ankle to get back to 100 percent.
The Vikings hope to have left tackle Christian Darrisaw in game action soon and his practice week got off on the right foot Wednesday.
Darrisaw was a full participant in practice. Darrisaw, who is recovering from a torn ACL, was ruled out for Week 2 after limited practices last Thursday and Friday.
Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel (concussion) was also out against the Falcons, but he was back at practice as a limited participant on Wednesday. Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard (oblique), left guard Donovan Jackson (wrist), safety Theo Jackson (hip), linebacker Austin Keys (groin), tight end Josh Oliver (ankle), and safety Harrison Smith (illness) were also limited.
Center Ryan Kelly (concussion), quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), and tackle Justin Skule (concussion) did not practice. McCarthy has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
Cornerback Jeff Okudah (concussion) was a full participant. He missed Week 2, but returned to practice last Friday.
The Vikings signed Desmond Ridder to their active roster on Wednesday, but he won’t be active for Sunday’s game against the Bengals.
Head coach Kevin O’Connell told reporters on Wednesday that Ridder will be inactive as the emergency third quarterback in Week 3. Undrafted rookie Max Brosmer will be the backup quarterback behind Carson Wentz.
Wentz is playing because J.J. McCarthy has been ruled out with a high-ankle sprain. The team does not plan to place him on injured reserve, but it’s unclear when he will be well enough to play again.
Brosmer did not see action in either of the first two games. He was 35-of-58 for 364 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in the preseason.
While quarterback Joe Burrow is set to undergo surgery to repair the torn ligaments in his toe, head coach Zac Taylor reiterated to reporters on Wednesday that the quarterback has not been ruled out for the rest of the season.
The reported timeline for Burrow’s recovery has been reported as three months. But Taylor had a sly reply when he was asked about it in his press conference.
“At least the next four weeks,” Taylor said with a wry smile, referring to Burrow’s status on injured reserve. “Best I can give you.”
Taylor also did not have a firm update on when Burrow will have surgery.
“I don’t have the timing on that yet,” Taylor said. “It may have been decided this morning, but I don’t have it yet. So, when I do, I’ll let you guys know.”
For now, Jake Browning will take over at quarterback, with Taylor noting the backup’s voice is now “a little louder” with his thoughts.
“It’ll be good,” Taylor said. “It’s his first day of install today. We talked a little bit last night as we were game-planning. So, he’s got a great attitude and so far so good.”
Among the questions that the Bengals have faced since quarterback Joe Burrow’s latest injury is whether there’s more they can do schematically to keep Burrow on the field.
Offensive coordinator Dan Pitcher weighed in on that topic this week. Pitcher said that he thinks the Bengals have one of “the most explosive, best passing offenses” in the league and that anything they do to keep performing at that level is “going to incur risk.”
“We have special skill players,” Pitcher said, via Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “We want to accentuate those skill players. We try to do both things. How do we accentuate their skillset? How do we try to do it in a way that we’re limiting the amount of times that Joe’s potentially going to get hit . . . There’s no one decision that solves all. Everything costs something. So we constantly think about these things and, again, I hate that we’re in this spot and we will always evaluate and re-evaluate and do it over and over again. But we can only make the decisions in the moment that we feel give us the best chance to win.”
No one would argue with the idea that playing in the NFL requires accepting the risk of injury, so Pitcher is right that no one decision can take that away. The Bengals will have to figure out if there’s any combination of things they can do to help Burrow stay healthy because his extended absences keep the team from reaching its peak.
