Minnesota Vikings running back Jordan Mason will miss at least the next four weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured thumb, coach Kevin O’Connell said Wednesday — a second significant injury for the team’s offense one game into the season.
With quarterback Kyler Murray’s status in doubt for Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears as he works through the concussion protocol, the Vikings scrambled to find depth behind starting tailback Aaron Jones Sr. They promoted veteran back DeeJay Dallas from the practice squad and signed another veteran, Jerome Ford, to the practice squad. The team also has rookie running back Demond Claiborne on its roster, but he was inactive for the Vikings’ 39-22 victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 1.
Although Jones got the start Sunday against the Packers, Mason led the team with 15 carries for 59 yards. It is unclear when he suffered the injury, but O’Connell said Mason reported soreness Monday, leading to further examination. O’Connell said he did not anticipate Mason’s recovery taking longer than four weeks.