Vikings' Brian O'Neill has 'significant' calf muscle injury
The Vikings have yet to announce specifics about the calf muscle injury sustained by right tackle Brian O'Neill in Sunday's loss to the Packers, but head coach Kevin O'Connell on Monday confirmed that it is "significant."
O'Neill will not play in Sunday's regular season finale against the Bears and despite there not being a timetable for his injury, O'Connell didn't sound optimistic about O'Neill returning any time time.
Without O'Neill, the Vikings will start Oli Udoh at right tackle. Udoh was actually Minnesota's highest-graded offensive lineman against the Packers after O'Neill suffered the injury on Minnesota's 13th offensive play of the game.
Backup center Austin Schlottmann's season is over after he suffered a broken fibula on the fifth offensive play of the game. He was replaced by third-string center Chris Reed, who had never taken a snap at center during a regular season game in the NFL prior to Sunday.
Reed could very well start again against the Bears if Garrett Bradbury is out again.
O'Connell didn't offer a timetable for Bradbury's return, but he's missed the past four games with a back injury that was worsened when he was involved in a car crash after Minnesota's comeback win over the Colts two weeks ago.
Brian O'Neill and Austin Schlottmann are presumably out for the season, there's still no timetable for Garrett Bradbury's return, and Blake Brandel is on IR.