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Vikings QB Kyler Murray clears concussion protocol, will start Week 3 vs. Buccaneers

Emily Leiker, The Minnesota Star Tribune on

Published in Football

MINNEAPOLIS — Kyler Murray has cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol and will start the Minnesota Vikings’ Week 3 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday.

Though Murray returned to practice on a limited basis last week while working through the five-phase protocol, he was not fully cleared and was ruled out ahead of the Vikings’ 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears. Carson Wentz instead made his 100th NFL start in the victory.

Wentz completed 23 of his 39 passes for 276 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through his two appearances.

Murray exited after just 11 snaps against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 after being hit while scrambling during the Vikings’ second drive of the game. He was 3 of 5 for 18 yards with an interception prior to his exit. He also rushed twice for nine total yards.

“Looking back on those first few plays, there was a third-down conversion where he sat in there, tight completion to Justin [Jefferson],” O’Connell said Monday. “He did use his legs and protect himself on another play.”

In reference to Murray’s interception on his second snap against the Packers, O’Connell said the team “can’t compound someone else’s error,” referencing mistakes at the line that led to Murray being pressured on the play.

Murray is expected to speak for the first time since his concussion later this week.

Vikings injury updates

Defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins is day-to-day with a hip injury, O’Connell said. Ingram-Dawkins left Sunday’s game against the Bears in the first quarter.

Punter Brett Thorson came in Monday with hamstring soreness and is being evaluated. Thorson punted six times Sunday for an average of 49.5 yards per punt. O’Connell said the team is unsure when the injury occurred.

Running back Aaron Jones Sr., who briefly left the Bears game due to a knee injury and then later took a hard hit that knocked his helmet loose, is “obviously a little sore,” O’Connell said, but is believed to be OK.

 

Jones carried the ball 23 times for 105 yards Sunday with Jordan Mason (thumb) on injured reserve. It was the most carries Jones, 31, has had with the Vikings.

O’Connell said he and General Manager Nolan Teasley are evaluating whether that’s a sustainable workload for Jones. The team signed DeeJay Dallas to the active roster last week and Jerome Ford to the practice squad. They also have rookie sixth-round pick Demond Claiborne, who was active Sunday, on the roster.

“[Jones] is a guy that clearly we have a lot of confidence in, but wanna be smart about it as well,” O’Connell said.

Bears QB Caleb Williams injury update

Bears starting quarterback Caleb Williams exited Sunday afternoon’s game midway through the fourth quarter with a right hamstring injury.

Bears coach Ben Johnson labeled Williams as “week-to-week” and said he “will likely miss some time” during an interview on ESPN 1000 in Chicago on Monday morning.

Williams rolled left and started to scramble on the drenched Soldier Field grass when Vikings outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel dove to try to make a tackle. Though it didn’t appear Van Ginkel touched him, Williams pulled up shortly after, sliding forward onto his knees before going fully to the turf.

He was eventually carted to the locker room. Williams initially had a towel over his face but removed it to give the crowd a wave before entering the tunnel.

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