Vikings-Packers Inactives: Cameron Dantzler, Michael Pierce Out for Minnesota

The Vikings are facing an extremely difficult task on Sunday night in Green Bay.

With Kirk Cousins on the COVID list, Sean Mannion will be starting at QB. That alone makes a victory highly unlikely. The Vikings are also without WR Adam Thielen (IR) and RG Mason Cole, who are on injured reserve.

Defensively, two starters — NT Michael Pierce and CB Cameron Dantzler — are inactive. They join linebacker Nick Vigil and backup defensive end Patrick Jones II, who are on the COVID list.

Here's the full list of inactives for the Vikings against the Packers:

QB Kyle Sloter
CB Cameron Dantzler
RB Wayne Gallman
G Wyatt Davis
NT Michael Pierce
DE Tashawn Bower

Five players were elevated from the practice squad for the Vikings on Saturday:

DE Kenny Willekes
S Myles Dorn
CB Tye Smith
DT T.Y. McGill
DE Eddie Yarbrough

Oli Udoh was activated from the COVID list along with Mannion and Rashod Hill and will start at right guard.

Got all that?

The big story is obviously Mannion making his first meaningful regular season start in a Vikings uniform. For Minnesota to have a chance, he'll need to make some plays and get the ball to Dalvin Cook and Justin Jefferson. It would certainly help if Udoh can play a solid game at RG and avoid being penalized.

On the defensive side, Armon Watts will step back into the starting lineup for Pierce. Watts has started seven games this season and played well. In Dantzler's absence, Kris Boyd will start at outside cornerback opposite Patrick Peterson. And Blake Lynch will likely serve as the No. 3 linebacker behind Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr.

Kellen Mond is active as Mannion's backup. TE Tyler Conklin, questionable heading into this game, is active and will play. And Wyatt Davis continues to be buried on the depth chart, as he's inactive in favor of Dakota Dozier as a backup guard.

The Vikings' defensive ends will be D.J. Wonnum, Sheldon Richardson, Willekes, and Yarbrough.

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