Vikings LB A part of D.J. Wonnum’s quad is torn.
A source told ESPN on Monday that Minnesota Vikings outdoors linebacker D.J. Wonnum suffers from a partially torn left quad and will probably need surgery.
The person said that Wonnum is now looking for a second opinion because his hip flexor has stayed intact.
On Monday, tight end T.J. Hockenson is getting an MRI on his right knee, which sources tell ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler could be bad news for the Vikings.
During his career, Wonnum has made 171 stops, 49 quarterback hits, 23 sacks, and 11 passes defensed in 62 games (31 starts).
Wonnum left Sunday’s 30–24 loss of the Detroit Lions because he hurt his left leg while trying to rush the quarterback in the fourth quarter without making contact.
The 26-year-old veteran is having his best season since the Vikings picked him in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.
He has made 62 stops, which is the most in his career, in 15 games (14 starts). It’s the same number of sacks he had all of last year. He also brought back a fumble 51 yards for a score in a win at Carolina in Week 4.
For their last two games, the Vikings (7-8) may need to count on Pat Jones II and maybe even rookie Andre Carter II.
The Green Bay Packers come to town on Sunday, and the Detroit Lions play at home on January 7.
On Sunday, Hockenson hurt his knee with his helmet on the Vikings’ first play of the second half. He did not come back.
This season, Hockenson, 26, has five scores in 15 games (11 starts) and 95 catches, good for 960 yards. He is the Minnesota Vikings’ top receiver.
Because Wonnum’s quad tear is so bad, the Vikings will probably put the veteran linebacker on injured reserve and force him to have surgery. They haven’t said for sure yet if his injury will end his season, though.
This season, Wonnum has made a career-high 62 stops, 33 of which were solo. He has sacked eight quarterbacks, broken up one pass, forced a fumble, and scored one touchdown.
The Detroit Lions won their first regional title since 1993 on Christmas Eve, which was a big day for the team.
Sadly, it came at the expense to the Minnesota Vikings, who lost 30–24 at U.S. Bank Stadium because of costly turnovers and injuries.
This means they are no longer in the running for the NFC playoffs. With just two games left in the season, both of them are against teams from the NFC North.
Being able to get back into any of the two remaining wild card spots will be even harder for them now that they have fight scars from Sunday.
The latest news about one of the Vikings’ most important defensive players will make fans even less hopeful.
An NFL source said that OLB D.J. Wonnum, who was having a great season with 62 tackles or 8 sacks, tore his quad, which means he won’t play again this season.
This was revealed by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport on Christmas morning. It was a big deal, and coach Kevin O’Connell said, “You can see what’s D.J. means to our team.”
The team would be in a very bad spot for the last two weeks of the 2023–24 season if they lost the 26-year-old outside defender for the rest of the season.
He is a big part of Minnesota’s much better defense, so other players need to step up before their game against the Packers on New Year’s Eve.
Along with D.J. Wonnum, Pro Bowl defensive end T.J. Hockenson and young star Jordan Addison also got hurt against Detroit. As more details comes out, ClutchPoints will let you know what’s going on.