Vikings Place Harrison Smith on Reserve/COVID-19 List, Elevate Myles Dorn

The Vikings placed star safety Harrison Smith on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Sunday morning and elevated Myles Dorn from the practice squad as a COVID replacement.

Smith will obviously miss today's game against the Ravens. It's the first time he'll miss a game since 2016, excluding the 2019 regular season finale when the Vikings rested all of their starters.

Rookie Camryn Bynum seems like the most likely candidate to start opposite Xavier Woods in Smith's absence, although Josh Metellus and Dorn are also candidates.

This is a big blow for the Vikings, who were already facing the tough task of slowing down Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and a stable of pass-catching weapons that includes Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and Rashod Bateman. Whoever gets the start out of Bynum, Metellus, and Dorn will be making their first NFL start. 

So the Vikings' secondary is without Patrick Peterson and now Smith for a matchup against one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. That's not ideal. They'll need their new group of Woods, Bashaud Breeland, Mackensie Alexander, Dantzler, and a young safety to step up and give them a chance. They're also without DE Danielle Hunter and DT Michael Pierce up front.

Speaking of Dantzler, he's officially active after being listed as questionable with an ankle injury. So is linebacker Anthony Barr (knee). The Vikings have just four inactives: Pierce (elbow), Kellen Mond, Chazz Surratt, and Ihmir Smith-Marsette. Rookie defensive end Patrick Jones II is active for the first time all season.

Inactive for the Ravens are WR Sammy Watkins, LB Latavius Murray, OL Patrick Mekari, DT Brandon Williams, and S Ar'Darius Washington.

Kickoff is at 12 p.m. central time (1 p.m. local).