Vikings Trending to Be without One Key Player on Sunday

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Of course, the Minnesota Vikings won’t have Christian Darrisaw (LT), J.J. McCarthy (QB), and Mekhi Blackmon (CB) in Week 9 at home versus the Indianapolis Colts. Those men are on season-ending injured reserve.

Vikings Trending to Be without One Key Player on Sunday

And on this week’s specific injury report, the purple team is also trending to be without the services of linebacker Blake Cashman. He’s battling turf toe, an injury that notoriously lingers for athletes.

Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images.

The Vikings listed Cashman as a DNP (did not practice) on Thursday, just three days before Vikings-Colts on Sunday Night Football. Cashman, in theory, could still practice Friday and be ready for the primetime affair, but he probably would’ve experienced limited practice participation this week if so.

Some Vikings fans have deemed Cashman the defense’s special sauce in 2024 because without him in the last two games, well, the defense significantly plunged. Folks have looked around and wondered “what changed,” and the only common denominator is no Cashman in the middle of the field during Weeks 7 and 8.

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A couple of weeks ago, head coach Kevin O’Connell didn’t sound too worried about Cashman’s long-term prognosis. “He’ll be kind of day-to-day, week-to-week as he deals with that, O’Connell said. “We really don’t know yet, but don’t think it will be a long-term injury, with IR or anything involved in that,” the young skipper said before Week 7.

“We’ll just hopefully have him work through it and get back on the field as soon as possible. Don’t really know about his status for this week. We’ll see if he can get some limited work in throughout the week and maybe have a chance to go.”

Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images.

Sans Cashman, Minnesota would turn to reserve linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill, who has played decently in 2024. The Vikings also have third-year defender Brian Asamoah ready and willing to contribute, though the Oklahoma alumnus never really sees defensive action.

Flores’ defensive efficiency has dipped since a Week 5 win in London. These are some glaring Vikings defensive numbers from 2024:

Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
per EPA/Play:

Week 1-5: 1st
Week 6-8: 28th

The problem? The pass rush. A lack of pressure on Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) and Matthew Stafford (Los Angeles Rams) has caused the passing defense to plunge — from first to worst in a hurry.

Vikings Defense,
NFL Ranking,
per DEF Passing EPA/Play:

First 5 Games: 1st
Last 2 Games: 32nd

If Cashman doesn’t play on Sunday, onlookers will fire up Cashman Injury Watch all over again leading into the following weekend, a road trip to Jacksonville for a date with the Jaguars.

Minnesota Head Coach Kevin O’Connell introduced new Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores from the TCO Performance Center on February 15th, 2023. Flores coached for the New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, and Pittsburgh Steelers before joining the Vikings in 2023.

Cashman played high school football at Eden Prairie and college ball at the University of Minnesota.

Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL. 

All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.