QB Geno Smith practices for Seahawks, but healthy Vikings set to face injury-riddled Seattle squad

The Vikings and Seahawks enter Sunday afternoon’s game on different ends of the health spectrum.

Only two players were nonparticipants in the Vikings’ walk-through Wednesday: cornerback Fabian Moreau (hip) and defensive tackle Jalen Redmond (concussion).

Redmond was pulled late from Monday’s win over the Bears by an independent spotter.

Defensive lineman Patrick Jones II (knee), offensive tackle Brian O’Neill (knee), defensive tackle Harrison Phillips (knee), offensive tackle David Quessenberry (oblique) outside linebacker Dallas Turner (knee) and safety Harrison Smith (foot) were limited participants.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said Tuesday that he expects O’Neill to be available and noted that Jones returned to Monday night’s game through his knee issue.

Minnesota is also hopeful cornerback Stephon Gilmore will return this week. He practiced fully for the first time since a Dec. 1 hamstring strain.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, had 10 players listed as nonparticipants on Wednesday’s practice report, including star wide receiver DK Metcalf, who’s been dealing with a shoulder injury for several weeks but has played through it.

Four of the players listed as nonparticipants were on veteran rest.

Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald said Wednesday starting running back Kenneth Walker III did participate in the team’s walk-through, but he was listed as a nonparticipant at afternoon practice. Walker has missed the past two games.

Second-string running back Zach Charbonnet (oblique) and starting center Olusegun Oluwatimi (knee) also did not practice, and tight end Noah Fant (knee) was among three limited participants, according to the practice report.

Linebacker Ernest Jones IV, third on the Seahawks in tackles, was also a limited participant with a knee injury.

The Seahawks did have quarterback Geno Smith in a full capacity Wednesday after he injured his knee in the third quarter of Seattle’s loss to Green Bay on Sunday night and missed the remainder of the game.

Macdonald said Smith “feels good.”

Vikings special teams coordinator Matt Daniels told the Minnesota Star Tribune on Wednesday that punter Ryan Wright is “doing good” after taking a brutal hit in Monday’s game.

“I think it was more of a shock than a true hurt situation,” Daniels said.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Wright had a punt blocked and was run into while his kicking leg was extended in the air. He landed straight on his back and then rolled onto his stomach, where he stayed until trainers came out to attend to him.

Daniels said the block by Bears defensive end Dominique Robinson was a result of miscommunication on protection assignments.

Wright was cleared of a concussion in-game.

Later in the game, the Vikings tight end Josh Oliver recovered an onside kick to help secure their victory.

In their last meeting with the Bears, a botched onside kick recovery aided Chicago’s 11-point comeback to force overtime. Oliver was injured at the time, and Johnny Mundt, who the ball touched to allow for the Bears’ recovery, was playing in his place.

“It’s something we rep and talk about all the time, but to execute it on game day, that’s really what it’s all about,” Daniels said. “I always talk about practice execution leads to game reality, and that’s kind of what it ended up being.”

The Seahawks' pass rush unit has the second-most quarterback hurries in the NFL (145) behind the Broncos, according to Sports Info Solutions.

There are some familiar — but not friendly, at least during the game — faces in that group for Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold.

Darnold played at University of Southern California with Seahawks defensive tackle Leonard Williams and linebacker Uchenna Nwosu.

“A lot of good talent. A lot of good guys that I know. Couple guys I know,” Darnold said. “Just a very talented group, and that obviously pops out on tape.”

Williams leads the Seahawks with seven sacks. He has another 11 QB hits and 24 hurries.

He also intercepted Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the end zone in Week 13, returning the ball 92 yards up the sideline for a touchdown.

“It was fun. Fun to watch him rumble down the field and score,” Darnold said. “I’m looking forward to seeing him.”

Darnold has been sacked 11 times over the past three games. The Vikings are ninth in sacks allowed on the season, having given up 43 total.

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