The Minnesota Vikings will get the engine of their offense back for Sunday night’s bout versus the Green Bay Packers, but they still won't be 100 percent as they fight for their playoff lives.
The Vikings activated running back Dalvin Cook off the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, but placed wide receiver Adam Thielen on injured reserve due to ankle injury that required surgery, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
Cook, who is unvaccinated, was placed on the COVID-19 list late last week after testing positive. Getting the star back early came after the NFL and NFLPA modified their joint COVID-19 protocols on Tuesday, cutting the standard isolation period after a positive test for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five days regardless of vaccination status. Previously, unvaccinated players, like Cook, were required to quarantine for a minimum of 10 days.
The 7-8 Vikings currently sit as the NFC’s No. 8 seed ahead of their Week 17 matchup. In Minnesota's Week 11 victory over Green Bay, Cook compiled 115 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. Cook has nine TDs in six career games versus the Packers, per NFL Research.
With Minnesota playing for its postseason life, getting Cook back will provide a huge boost for the Vikings offense.
Unfortunately, Thielen won't be on the field to benefit from that boost.
With a roughly one-month recovery timeframe, barring a long-shot playoff run, Thielen's season is over, per Pelissero.
In 13 games this season, Thielen netted 67 catches for 726 yards and 10 TDs. He missed two games due to the injury. In his comeback during Sunday's loss to the L.A. Rams, Thielen reinjured the ankle, looking visibly frustrated during the game.
Missing the reliable target is a big blow to the Vikings.
"We're going to miss him out on the football field. He's that vocal guy," Cook said Wednesday. "... I'm going to miss him."
