Vikings enter Titans game with full roster intact

On By Littum

The Vikings head into the Titans game on Sunday with their full roster intact.

The only player they ruled out is the edge rusher Gabe Murphywho is still in his 21-day practice window while still on injured reserve due to his knee injury. When Murphy returns, he could find a role on defense, but coach Kevin O’Connell said the Vikings “don’t want to fully activate him yet.”

“He’s doing really well, right on schedule where we wanted him at this point,” O’Connell said. “He will continue to work in preparation to be added to the roster at some point during this window.”

No other Vikings player carries an injury designation into the game. Running back Aaron Joneslinebacker Andrew Van Ginkel and tight end Josh Oliver were all full participants in Friday’s practice after being limited Thursday due to injuries.

The Titans ruled out right tackle Leroy Watson due to a back injury and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed due to the quadriceps injury that has kept him out since October 13. Third year man Nicholas Petit-Frere is expected to start in Watson’s place at right tackle for a team that has already given up 28 sacks this season.

O’Connell said kicker Will Reichard and long snapper Andrew DePaola is doing well recovering from injuries: a quadriceps strain for Reichard and a hand injury for DePaola that required surgery. However, O’Connell did not yet know if either will be ready to return from injured reserve as soon as they are fit for the Dec. 8 game against the Falcons.

“With Will, it’s just about progressing through the soft tissue (injury) to a point where he can start getting back into his kicking routine, getting a little bit ahead of the team and kicking again,” O’Connell said. “But that being said, the more time I spend around (Parker Romo), we are lucky to have him. He had a really good day yesterday, kicking outside in a bit of the elements we play in (on Sunday). So I have a lot of confidence that Parker will continue to be great for us.”

The Vikings’ Dec. 1 game against the Cardinals could be a candidate to move to Monday night as part of the NFL’s flexible scheduling process.