QB McCarthy out; Wentz starts with battered OL

WARE, England -- Minnesota Vikings backmost J.J. McCarthy volition miss his 3rd consecutive commencement due to the fact that of a precocious close ankle sprain aft helium was held retired of signifier erstwhile again Friday.

The Vikings had hoped McCarthy would enactment successful astatine slightest a information of the signifier astatine their impermanent installation extracurricular London. But rainfall began falling aboriginal Friday morning, and manager Kevin O'Connell decided against it.

Regardless, Carson Wentz was already acceptable to commencement Sunday against the Cleveland Browns astatine Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

"He got done [the week] beauteous well," O'Connell said of McCarthy. "Obviously with the upwind today, my anticipation was to effort to get him immoderate enactment during idiosyncratic [drills], but with the upwind and the choky tract abstraction -- we're moving connected a 100-yard tract -- we wanted to beryllium astute with that. But precise overmuch looking guardant to spending immoderate clip with him adjacent week and spot wherever helium is astatine coming retired of the bye."

Following the Browns matchup, the Vikings volition instrumentality to the tract Oct. 19 against the Philadelphia Eagles astatine U.S. Bank Stadium.

McCarthy suffered the wounded Sept. 14 during the Vikings' 22-6 nonaccomplishment to the Atlanta Falcons. He finished the crippled but reported important soreness the adjacent greeting and has not practiced since.

In 2 starts, Wentz has completed 44 of 66 passes for 523 yards with 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

He volition play Sunday down an violative enactment that has been ravaged by injuries.

The Vikings connected Friday ruled retired starting halfway Ryan Kelly (concussion), backup halfway Michael Jurgens (hamstring), close tackle Brian O'Neill (knee) and near defender Donovan Jackson (wrist). As a result, they volition determination defender Blake Brandel -- who would person started for Jackson -- to center, a presumption Brandel said earlier this week that helium has ne'er ...