Getty Vikings head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman (left) was let go by the organization on March 7, 2022, the Star Tribune reported.
Last week, the Vikings had to do without starting rookie cornerback Cameron Dantzler who was out with a rib injury. His absence turned out to be just the start of the Vikings injury woes as third-year corner Mike Hughes was added to the injury list with a neck injury that’s likely a flare-up of the same injury that forced him to miss the majority of the 2019 season.
Both starters were ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Titans on Friday, likely elevating fifth-round rookie Harrison Hand into the starting lineup for his first NFL game.
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The youngest member of the Vikings cornerback group, Hand, 21, has been rostered for the past two weeks but did not dress for either game as a gameday inactive. He’ll join projected starters Jeff Gladney, a fellow rookie and first-round pick, and three-year veteran Holton Hill as the Vikings starting trio.
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Kris Boyd Questionable Ahead of Titans Game
The Vikings could also be without third-year Kris Boyd who is questionable with a hamstring injury.
Second-year corner Mark Fields II will likely be activated to the roster on Sunday to back up the group along with fellow sophomore Nate Meadors, who has taken reps at safety and cornerback.
Beyond Hill, the rest of the Vikings who are not on the team’s injury report as of
Friday have a combined 77 defensive snaps of experience over the past two seasons — 69 coming from Gladney’s first two games this season.
Injured Reserve List Grows
GettyAnthony Barr suffered a season-ending injury last week against the Colts.
Compiling with the mess of injuries in the secondary, the Vikings linebacker group is down two players from last week’s game against the Colts in four-time Pro Bowler Anthony Barr and rookie Troy Dye.
Barr suffered a season-ending torn pectoral injury while Dye has a midfoot sprain. Both players landed on the injured reserve list — Dye could return as soon as Week 7.
The two linebackers join guard Pat Elflein and Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter on the injured reserve list. Elflein suffered a torn ligament in his thumb and had surgery to repair it that could leave him out longer than the required three weeks.
Hunter has been dealing with neck issues this offseason and was the first Vikings player to land on the list. He could return to play as soon as next Sunday against the Texans.
Patchwork Defense Struggles
The Vikings defense the past two weeks was beaten both by the pass and the run.
In Week 1, Aaron Rodgers played keep-away with the inexperienced core of cornerbacks, completing 32 of 44 passes for 364 yards and four TDs. The following week, a stout Colts offensive line helped produce 151 rushing yards as they chewed up the clock and ran away with the lead.
Time of possession remains the most troubling statistic and has contributed to the defense’s fatigue and inability to get off the field. The Vikings have averaged 20 minutes, 9 seconds with the ball compared to their opponents 39 minutes, 50 seconds time of possession.
Hunter’s return possibly by Week 5 could be the first step to the defense finding its potential, but until then the Vikings continue to acquire free agents to field a unit. This week they acquired former Broncos linebacker Todd Davis and ex-Bears defensive lineman Abdullah Anderson.
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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.