Vikings list veteran safety Harrison Smith as questionable

He has been nursing a foot injury, so it’s unclear if he will be available Sunday.

By Dane Mizutani, Pioneer Press – December 20, 2024

A notable name for the Vikings popped up on the injury report this week.

As the Vikings prepared for Sunday’s game against the Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, veteran safety Harrison Smith nursed a foot injury that could force him to sit out the game.

After being listed as a non-participant in the practice Thursday, Smith was listed as a limited participant in Friday’s walkthrough. He officially is listed as questionable for the game.

Asked about the way Smith was handled this week, head coach Kevin O’Connell noted, “It was all a part of the plan.”

In the scenario that Smith can’t go, the Vikings could turn to reserve safety Theo Jackson to fill the void, or they could have safety Josh Metellus forego some of his other responsibilities on defense and play his traditional position.

The good news for the Vikings is that, regardless of what happens with Smith, cornerback Stephon Gilmore will return from a hamstring injury after missing the past couple of games.

O’Connell preparing for rain

With rain in the forecast this weekend in Seattle, the Vikings have tried to prepare for the weather conditions. There was proof of that preparation on Friday as a bucket of water rested on the field.

“We got a few periods in with the wet ball drill,” O’Connell said. “We made sure to work on that this week.”

That helped quarterback Sam Darnold work on some of his exchanges with center Garrett Bradbury, as well as some of his handoffs with running backs Aaron Jones, Cam Akers, and Ty Chandler. It also helped receivers Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson, among others, simulate what it might be like to catch passes this weekend.

Fortunately for the Vikings, they dealt with similar weather conditions earlier this season during the international game against the New York Jets.

“We got rain in London and had a little bit of a slick field,” O’Connell said. “Our guys have dealt with a pretty similar environment.”

Moreau and Redmond out

Not surprisingly, the Vikings have ruled cornerback Fabian Moreau out with a hip injury, as well as defensive tackle Jalen Redmond out with a concussion. Neither player practiced in any capacity this week, so this was more of a formality than anything else.

It’s an unfortunate development for both players considering the fact that Moreau and Redmond had both carved out a role for themselves on defense. It’s still unclear if either player will be able to practice next week.

Ham questionable

In addition to Smith being listed as questionable, fullback C.J. Ham is also listed as questionable due to an ankle injury that flared up this week.