Vikings Place Safety Josh Metellus on IR for Shoulder Surgery

The Minnesota Vikings placed starting safety Josh Metellus on injured reserve Wednesday, ending his season with shoulder surgery after he played through the injury for the past three weeks.

The 27-year-old captain, a key anchor in the Vikings' secondary, will miss the team's final three regular-season games against the New York Giants, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers. Minnesota, which sits at 6-8 and was eliminated from playoff contention last week, now faces those matchups without two defensive starters. Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard was also placed on injured reserve earlier this season for a similar procedure.

Metellus had been evaluating the shoulder on a week-to-week basis, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. The team conducted medical assessments late Sunday and through Monday and Tuesday before determining surgery was necessary. "We've just been evaluating that shoulder, kind of a week-in and week-out basis, and got home late Sunday, went through some of the medical evaluations Monday and into yesterday, and it's been determined he's going to get his shoulder fixed," O'Connell said during a news conference. "Our doctors and Josh feel like this is the right time...