Minnesota Vikings Week Two Injury Report
Coach Mike Zimmer has been staying mum about who the Vikings’ starting quarterback will be, but quite possibly more problematic is the loss of three key contributors to injury. With the depth of the Vikings’ roster and the strength of the next man up, the injuries were not nearly as devastating as they would be to some teams.
If the Minnesota Vikings plan on knocking-off the rival Green Bay Packers, they will have to do it without two of their core defensive players. Cornerback, Xavier Rhodes, and defensive tackle, Sharrif Floyd, have been ruled out for this early divisional matchup. The Vikings will have to find ways to make up for the loss of production if they are to repeat as NFC North Division Champs.
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Friday Injury Report
Questionable: Matt Kalil
Kalil is listed as questionable with a hip injury and is expected to play but has been trending in the wrong direction. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday before returning to practice Friday as a limited participant. Kalil is officially listed as questionable for Sunday night’s game and looks to be a game-time decision. If he can’t go on Sunday, T.J. Clemmings would likely get the start at left tackle.
Doubtful: N/A
Out: Xavier Rhodes, Sharrif Floyd, MyCole Pruitt
Rhodes will miss his second straight game after aggravating an injury during warm-ups before last week’s season opener. Rhodes hurt his right knee while stretching before the game against the Titans and has since been seen wearing a brace. The injury first appeared in the second game of the preseason and he has not played since.
Trae Waynes was solid in his start last week versus the Titans and will make his second straight start in place of Rhodes this Sunday night. Waynes, last year’s first-round pick, will be tested by a more talented Packers’ receiving group this week, led by Jordy Nelson, who played in his first game last Sunday since missing all of 2015 with a torn ACL.
Floyd continues to be bothered by the nagging knee injury he suffered last season. He is not sure when he aggravated it this time, but thinks it occurred during last week’s contest with the Titans. Floyd has battled injuries since becoming a full-time starter for the Vikings in his second season in 2014. He missed three games last season after minor knee surgery to remove cartilage in his left knee and missed two games the season prior. It is an issue that has become an all too common theme for Zimmer. When asked if he was disappointed that Floyd would be out this week he responded, “I don’t know. I’m kind of used to it.”
The situation surrounding Floyd’s replacement on Sunday is a little less concrete than Rhodes’. Zimmer plans on using a three-man rotation, similar to last week, of Tom Johnson, Linval Joseph and Shamar Stephen at the defensive tackle positions. Against the Titans Linval Joseph saw 40 snaps, compared to 29 for Johnson and 22 for Stephen, who also forced a fumble in the contest.
Tight End, Mycole Pruitt, has also been ruled out for Sunday night’s divisional battle with a knee injury. Pruitt originally hurt his knee on August 28th, in a preseason contest with San Diego and is hopeful of returning soon. Kyle Rudolph, Rhett Ellison and rookie, David Morgan II, all figure to see time at tight end in week two.
For any team injuries are an unavoidable occurrence in any season. The teams that are able to survive and overcome these injuries are the ones that come out on top at the end of the year. Teams that have adequate depth, where the next man up is able to come in and replace whoever went down, without missing a step, are the ones competing for the Lombardi Trophy. The Vikings have one of the deepest rosters in the league and have the necessary depth to be one of those teams when the dust settles.
Clayton R. Brooks II writes for cover32 and covers the Minnesota Vikings. He can be followed on Twitter @ClaytonRBrooks2. Like and follow vikings32 on Facebook, and Twitter.
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