Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard avoids long-term injury; Ryan Kelly nearing return to practice

Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard’s left shoulder injury is not expected to be a long-term issue, coach Kevin O’Connell said Monday.

Greenard went down while chasing Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson in the third quarter of Sunday’s 27-19 loss. He had three quarterback pressures, two tackles and a pass deflection in 36 snaps (51%) before landing on his shoulder while pursuing Jackson as the quarterback ran out of bounds.

“He’s sore,” O’Connell said, “but we’ll see if he can get some time in this week on the practice field and potentially be available for this Sunday, but I do think we avoided a long-term injury with him.”

Greenard, a team captain, has 31 tackles (19 solo), including a team-leading 10 tackles for losses this season. He leads the Vikings with 36 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, but has converted those into just two sacks. He led the team with 12 sacks last season.

Safety Theo Jackson cleared the concussion protocol Monday morning and is expected to be a full participant in practice this week. Jackson, a fourth-year defender who has made a career-high six starts, did not play against the Ravens after reporting concussion symptoms following the win at Detroit.

O’Connell said tight end Josh Oliver will return to practice this week after a two-game absence because of a foot sprain.

Center Ryan Kelly remains on injured reserve, but his three-week practice window could be opened soon. O’Connell has said the team wants to be cautious with Kelly, a 32-year-old veteran who suffered two concussions within three weeks in September.

“I wanted him banging down my office door to get back on the field,” O’Connell said. “He’s doing really well. He got some really good work in on the side field last week, really no issues whatsoever, and that was kind of the hope knowing the anticipation was we would hopefully open his window at some point and get him back practicing and see how he responds.”

Outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel brought his standard disruption during 56 defensive snaps (80%) against the Ravens, his highest playing rate since the season-opening victory at Chicago. He had four tackles, two pass deflections and a hit on Jackson. Both deflections came on third downs.

Van Ginkel appears to have moved on from the neck injury that first took him off the field during training camp in August and led to him missing five games through September and October.

“It feels good,” Van Ginkel said Monday. “I like where we’re at.”

He played 39 defensive snaps (61%) in his first game back at Detroit.

Minnesota’s nine takeaways this season, including five in the Sept. 21 win over Cincinnati, are tied for 22nd. The Vikings have just three interceptions in nine games. Linebacker Blake Cashman noted a couple of tipped passes against the Ravens that didn’t go the Vikings’ way, but he also said they need to be “more greedy.”

“I don’t think anyone on our side of the ball saw this coming this year,” Cashman said. “This defense is built on disruption, creating takeaways. We just have to be, as [Josh] Metellus would say, more greedy, taking advantage of every opportunity when there is a ball carrier held up or a ball carrier bracing, stiff arming — just punching at the ball.”