EAGAN, Minn. -- The Minnesota Vikings placed pass-rusher Marcus Davenport on injured reserve Wednesday, the result of a left ankle sprain he suffered during the team's 19-13 victory Sunday at Chicago.
Davenport will miss at least four games, if not more, and the earliest he will be eligible to return is for the Vikings' Week 11 game at the Denver Broncos.
Davenport signed a one-year, $13 million free agent deal with the Vikings as a fresh start following five injury-plagued seasons with the New Orleans Saints, who made him a first-round draft pick in in 2018. The Vikings hoped to pair him with veteran outside linebacker Danielle Hunter to form a formidable set of pass rushers, but a series of injuries has limited Davenport to 27.7% of the Vikings' defense snaps this season.
He suffered a right ankle injury two days before the start of the season, forcing him to miss all but four snaps of the Vikings' first three games.
He returned to the lineup in Week 4 at Carolina, adding a layer of front-line disruption. The Vikings have won two of their three games since his return, with Davenport recording two sacks, but he was unable to continue playing last Sunday in Chicago after suffering his latest injury.
The Vikings used Davenport's open roster spot to activate running back/kick returner Kene Nwangwu from injured reserve. They also designated receiver Jalen Nailor to return to practice. Nailor has been on injured reserve since Sept. 21 because of a hamstring injury.