Kirk Cousins steps back into the starting role for the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday at Lambeau Field, returning to the stadium where his first tenure with the franchise ended in an Achilles tear three years ago.
The veteran quarterback, recently reacquired from the Las Vegas Raiders in a trade deadline deal, is expected to provide stability to an offense that has struggled in recent weeks.
Yet the timing could hardly be more challenging, as the team’s injury report continues to thin out the supporting cast around him.
Wide receiver Jordan Addison, who spoke enthusiastically earlier in the week about reconnecting with Cousins and noted that it felt as if the quarterback had never left, is now listed as questionable after sustaining a thumb injury during Friday’s practice.
Safety Josh Metellus joins him on the questionable list with a shoulder issue that also arose in that session.
Addison’s potential absence would remove a receiver who has previously shown strong chemistry with Cousins, particularly early in his career, and further limit the downfield options available on short notice.
The setbacks extend well beyond the practice field.
Tight end T.J. Hockenson remains out with wrist and chest injuries that kept him sidelined for the entire week of preparation. Hockenson has been a consistent presence in the passing game this season and would have offered Cousins a reliable intermediate target against a Packers defense that has faced its own coverage issues at linebacker.
Linebacker Blake Cashman is also ruled out after suffering a concussion in Monday night’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Cashman has emerged as one of the league’s most productive inside linebackers under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, earning All-Pro consideration at the midpoint of the season, and his absence weakens a unit that has carried much of the Vikings’ success.
Additional absences compound the situation. Quarterback Kyler Murray is out with a hamstring injury, receiver Jauan Jennings is sidelined by a calf strain, and defensive lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins will miss the game with an ankle issue.
Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is questionable with a calf problem of his own.
For Cousins, who is making his first start back in purple and gold against a division rival that sits at 6-3, the depleted depth chart means fewer proven weapons and less defensive support than the 6-2 Vikings would prefer after dropping two straight games.
The reunion at Lambeau carries emotional weight given the circumstances of Cousins’ 2023 exit, but the practical reality is that Minnesota will need its remaining healthy contributors to step up immediately.
With key pieces unavailable on both sides of the ball, the burden falls more heavily on the quarterback and the core that remains available if the Vikings hope to reverse their recent slide in a critical NFC North matchup.
