Getty Anthony Barr is out for the rest of the 2020 season.
The Vikings continue to buck the “it couldn’t get any worse” proverb.
Following a historically poor start to the season, Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr was placed on injury reserved with a torn pectoral injury he suffered in a Week 2 loss to the Colts that will force him to miss the remainder of the 2020 season, coach Mike Zimmer said in a virtual press conference.
Barr, a four-time Pro Bowler, was pegged as a veteran anchor among a linebacker group that has been a lone bright spot on the Vikings defense that has given up the second-most points through two weeks.
“Anthony was our first draft pick that we had when we came here and integral part of our defense,” Zimmer said. “It’s tearing him up inside that he won’t be able to play.”
Eric Wilson will likely slide into Barr’s role at outside linebacker while rookie Troy Dye will be elevated to starting weakside linebacker alongside Eric Kendricks, a 2019 All-Pro middle linebacker.
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Barr’s Days May Be Numbered
Barr was nearly bound for the New York Jets when he was negotiating a new contract with the Vikings during the 2019 offseason. He had verbally agreed to sign with them before the Vikings made a last-minute offer of a five-year, $67 million contract to make him the fifth-highest paid outside linebacker in the league.
After his worse season in 2019 and the conditions of his contract, Barr may have played his last snap with the Vikings. The Vikings backloaded Barr’s contract with the majority of his earning and have a potential out that would cost the Vikings $7.8 million in dead cap, but save $12.9 million in cap space if he were traded or released after June 1, per Sportrac.
Despite his Pro Bowl resume, Barr hasn’t lived up to his pay on the stat sheet, totaling just 5.5 sacks over the past three seasons.
Safety Anthony Harris and newly acquired Yannick Ngakoue both will become unrestricted free agents in 2021 as the Vikings will have to make some tough decisions of who to re-sign. Releasing Barr as a cap causality may be an option the Vikings entertain.
Troy Dye’s Time
After two weeks, no Vikings rookie has started both games yet as cornerback Cameron Dantzler was out with a rib injury in Week 2. Dye may become the most-involved rookie in the Vikings lineup in Barr’s stead.
Drafted in the fourth round from Oregon, Dye is the only player in program history to lead the Ducks in tackle for all four years of his college career.
Linebacker Ryan Connelly will also see in increase in playing time after the ex-Giants linebacker was picked up off of waivers at the beginning of September. Connelly is an Eden Prairie native and had an impressive start to his rookie season, tallying 20 tackles two interceptions and one forced fumble in four games, before he suffered a torn ACL last season.
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Trevor Squire is a Heavy contributor covering the Minnesota Vikings and journalism graduate from the University of Minnesota — Twin Cities. Connect with him on Twitter @trevordsquire and join our Vikings community at Heavy on Vikings on Facebook.