Vikings Pro Bowler Poised to Miss Bears Opener
Vikings veteran safety Harrison Smith is hoping to play Monday against the Bears.
Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith has been dealing with an undisclosed illness for most of the summer and appears poised to be out for the season opener against the Chicago Bears.
Smith, 36, embarks on his 14th and potentially final NFL season with the Vikings after agreeing to a restructured contract in the offseason. However, he has been largely absent from practice all summer due to a “personal health issue.”
While Smith practiced Saturday, September 6, for the first time since August 11, he was listed as doubtful on the Vikings’ final injury report.
“He almost certainly needs more practice and conditioning work before he is ready to play in a game,” ESPN’s Kevin Seifert wrote.
Smith is expected to make a full recovery and is not likely to miss significant time. Still, it appears fourth-year safety Theo Jackson will be stepping into a larger role alongside Josh Metellus.
If only replacing Smith were that easy.
Brian Flores Breaks Silence on Potentially Missing Vikings S Harrison Smith
In his Thursday news conference, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores admitted that Smith’s role isn’t quite a one-to-one replacement for Jackson.
“I would say it’s certainly unique to him,” Flores said of Smith’s spot in the defense. “Not to say that we don’t have other highly intelligent, high football IQ guys. Metellus is a guy who comes to mind that plays a lot of different positions. So if we put him in Harry’s [spot], I think he could do that, but [Harrison] is all over the place… There’s a lot of reasons why it’s unique to him, obviously 14 years in the league playing at a high level and just high-level acumen.”
Head coach Kevin O’Connell tempered expectations going into the week, and although Smith has taken steps toward returning, the doubtful designation suggests he most likely will not play in the opener.
“The hope is we can ramp him up,” O’Connell said. “He’s back in the building and meetings and building up his workload for the week. We’ll see where he’s at throughout the remainder of the week.”
Christian Darrisaw Questionable for MNF vs. Bears
Another pressing injury concern going into Monday night is Christian Darrisaw‘s status.
Darrisaw, coming back from an ACL/MCL tear in late October 2024, has been ahead of schedule in his rehab all offseason.
His availability in Week 1 was still a long shot, but it appears in play, according to O’Connell.
“I can’t say enough about the work he’s put in and to have the type of camp he’s had to even have it where Christian and I can make a decision, what’s in Christian’s best interest, but also understanding this guy’s done everything in his power to give himself an opportunity to have that conversation,” O’Connell said on Saturday. “We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. … Christian Darrisaw is a major foundational player for us been really happy with my dialogue with him this whole time.”
Running back Zavier Scott (ankle) and defensive tackle Elijah Williams (hamstring) were ruled out for the game.
The Bears have questionable tags on cornerbacks Jaylon Johnson (calf/groin) and Josh Blackwell (groin) and running back Roschon Johnson (foot). Linebacker T.J. Edwards (hamstring) is listed as doubtful.
Celtics’ Neemias Queta Reveals Support From Joe Mazzulla
Neemias Queta is heading into arguably the most important season of his career. The 7-foot rim-runner is expected to become the Boston Celtics’ starting big man.
Brad Stevens has overseen a talent drain in the front court. Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet all leaving the franchise. As such, Queta has a golden opportunity to prove himself at the NBA level.
Queta has spent the past few weeks in Europe, playing for the Portuguese national team at the FIBA EuroBasket. The big man thrived as a featured member of Portugal’s offense, leading the team to the knockout stages of the tournament.
In six games, Queta averaged 15.5 points, 8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game. Unfortunately, Germany eliminated Portugal 85-58.
When speaking to EuroHoops’ Cesare Milanti, Queta shared the support head coach Joe Mazzulla has been providing throughout the summer.
“I spoke with him a couple of times; he is always sending me messages of appreciation, or love, or me getting better,” Queta said. “What he sees in me, what I need to improve on, and that’s a great relationship that we have…It (EuroBasket) was a good opportunity for me to evolve my game and get ready for the next season…I got rested enough this offseason, and I think that I put myself in the best position to have a breakout season. I have the tools to compete with the best.”
Queta will face competition for a starting spot from Luka Garza, Chris Boucher and Xavier Tillman next season.
Celtics Derrick White’ Shares Thoughts on Queta
During a recent episode of the “White Noise” podcast, Celtics guard Derrick White shared his thoughts on Queta receiving an expanded role.
“I think Joe has always been super hard on him for the last couple of years to prepare him for something like this,” White said. “Obviously, he’s going to have to have a big year, and we’re going to ask a lot out of him, which is exciting… He’s a guy who works hard, competes at a high level, and is just continuing to learn what works and what doesn’t in the NBA.”
White continued.
“We’re super excited for Neemias… I’m a big fan; he’s had so many different moments in these last two years. He’s helped us win games, or he’s changed the momentum of a game. It’s a big role for him.”
Queta played in 62 regular-season games in 2024-25. He averaged 5 points and 3.8 rebounds. However, with a bigger role on the horizon, it will be interesting to see how he scales his production.
Porzingis Backs Queta to Shine For Celtics
Kristaps Porzingis has also thrown his support behind Queta. The two went toe-to-toe at the EuroBasket tournament.
“Neemy has been getting better every year,” Porzingis said. “Coach Mazzulla has been pretty tough on him, and I believe he’s getting to a point where he deserves some real minutes, real rotation minutes. He’s been putting in the work, and you can see it in how he’s playing now in this tournament. I’m happy for Neemy. He’s a great dude, really cool person. He puts in the time, he puts in the work, and I’ll be glad to see him get a lot more minutes this year.”
Still, thriving in Europe is different to thriving in the NBA. Therefore, Queta will still need to prove himself for the Celtics. Fortunately for him, he will get every opportunity to showcase his skill set.
However, Celtics fans should have realistic expectations. Therefore, Queta may need some time to adjust to his new role. Hopefully, once he’s adjusted, he will prove he’s capable of being a starting-level NBA center.
