Through Minnesota Vikings training camp, one injury has taken precedence over any and all others. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson suffered what was tabbed as a minor injury to his left hamstring on the second day of camp, and he remained out for more than three weeks before returning to practice on Monday.
During training camp and the preseason, caution is the word with any injury to any key player. Most starters will play very little (if at all) in preseason games anyway, and to a certain point, camp practice gets monotonous and not beneficial to getting ready for the season.
Teams are also under no obligation to disclose injuries right now. So who is not dressed for practice, what they might be dealing with, etc., is generally left up to reporters to notice and ask about before anyone will say much of anything.
It's easy for Vikings fans to get concerned about any important player who does not practice for much longer than a day or so, but there is one who has probably slipped below the radar.
Sneaky potential injury concern surrounds Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel
The headline from Monday's practice for the Vikings was, of course, Jefferson's return, but Emily Leiker of the Minnesota Star Tribune noted the continued absence of veteran safety Harrison Smith and another key defensive player.
"The Vikings were once again without outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and safety Harrison Smith at practice.
Smith has not practiced since August 11, and two days later, head coach Kevin O'Connell said he has been dealing with an illness. Van Ginkel's absence remains more mysterious, as Leiker noted.
"Van Ginkel has been present at practices but in street clothes since Aug. 7; his injury is unknown."
Van Ginkel didn't participate in practice on Tuesday either, but, again, the Vikings have no reason or obligation to disclose any injury specifics before they have to heading into the season opener. Van Ginkel may be dealing with a very minor issue, but not practicing for almost two weeks is noticeable.
An important caveat to Van Ginkel's absence is the joint practices last week against the New England Patriots. Going against an opponent in a setting that wasn't 100 percent under the Vikings' control was a core reason for holding Jefferson out a little longer than may have been necessary, and the same idea may apply to Van Ginkel.
Van Ginkel was clearly a hand-picked free agent signing by Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores in 2024, and he was rewarded for his breakthrough last season with a one-year contract extension this offseason. He is a critical, versatile piece of Flores' defense.
At this point, Van Ginkel's absence from practice is best tabbed as precautionary, but if he remains out as Week 1 gets closer, the concern level will rise.
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