It has been a long month-plus for Minnesota Vikings fans to wait and hear about when they would get one of their top defensive players, Andrew Van Ginkel, back on the field. That is much closer now than it ever has been.
The Vikings released their first injury report for their Week 9 game against the Detroit Lions. Van Ginkel was once again on there, but this time was a full participant in practice for the first time since September.
This season, Van Ginkel has played in just two games and hasn't been on the field since Minnesota's Week 3 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, where he had two sacks in just eight snaps. Since then, he has been out with a neck injury.
Minnesota Vikings defense getting boost it desperately needed before Detroit Lions showdown
Over the last two games, Minnesota's defense has looked as rough as it could look. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores's unit has been lit up for 65 points combined in their last two losses.
Jonathan Greenard has been one of the very few bright spots on the defense and could use some help off the edge. His running mate, Van Ginkel, would be a massive upgrade for a position that has had 1.5 sacks in the last two games, with Greenard getting a sack and Dallas Turner recording a half-sack.
The Vikings have leaned more on Turner off the edge since Van Ginkel's absence to see what they have out of the former 2024 first-round pick. It has been mostly mixed results, with some disappointment from the fan base that Turner hasn't been able to produce more than what he has.
Van Ginkel brings new energy to the Vikings' defense, a unit that has been missing it as he returns at the perfect time. The 5-2 Lions are picking up steam on offense and have looked like the old unit from the last few years when current Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson was the offensive coordinator.
It may be too early to call a game a must-win, but with the Vikings at 3-4 and now playing in a division game, it certainly feels like they have to get a win. Will the return of Van Ginkel and even quarterback J.J. McCarthy be enough to power Minnesota back to .500 for the year?