Mike Hughes was added to the injures reserve list on Friday.
Vikings cornerback Mike Hughes’ status against the Packers was in question after he returned from the bye week as a non-participant in practice after struggling with an ailing neck injury.
Star Tribune reporter Ben Goessling reported Thursday night that while Hughes “likely won’t play Sunday,” a source “familiar with the situation said the 2018 first-round pick’s injury won’t end his season.
“There was no exact timetable for Hughes’ return,” Goessling added.
Less than a day later, Hughes has landed on the injured reserve list on Friday and will now be out for at least three weeks in the latest blow to a cornerback group that could be without three of their top four cornerbacks when they face the Packers on Sunday. Third-round rookie cornerback Cameron Dantzler was placed on the COVID-19 reserve list earlier this week and has not practiced all week, while Holton Hill (foot) was ruled out on Friday.
Zimmer said Hughes’ current neck injury is unrelated to the broken vertebrae suffered in Week 17 last year that forced him to miss the rest of the season, per Goessling. Hughes, however, has been hampered by this new injury. Hughes missed two weeks already this season before returning in Week 5 against the Seahawks. He was knocked out of the Falcons game in the second quarter after potentially reaggravating his neck injury.
Goessling reconfirmed his initial report following Hughes’ designation, however, his placement on the IR list could subject the third-year cornerback to a wait-and-see approach after Hughes was unable to get medical attention this past offseason due to coronavirus.
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Zero Veteran Experience Left In Cornerback Room
Hughes is standalone the most experienced veteran in the Vikings cornerbacks room. Hughes, picked 30th overall in 2018, played 744 total snaps in his two seasons, one of which he only played six games after suffering a knee injury his rookie year.
Holton Hill benefited from Hughes’ injury and played 353 of his 369 snaps in 2018 after Hughes’ season-ending injury. Beyond the duo of Hughes and Hill, the Vikings entered the season with just eight other career snaps at cornerback.
Dantzler has played the second-most snaps behind first-round rookie Jeff Gladney. With Dantzler doubtful against the Packers, Gladney, who has started five straight games, will likely be the most experienced cornerback on the field on Sunday.
The Replacements
Former Cardinals cornerback Chris Jones was added to the roster on Sunday but will likely not play on Sunday.
Two young cornerbacks will likely make their first career starts on Sunday against Aaron Rodgers, who picked apart a healthy cornerback group in Week 1 to the tune of 364 passing yards and four touchdowns.
The Vikings elevated practice squad cornerback Mark Fields II, whose six career snaps were against the Falcons last season when he gave up a touchdown to Julio Jones. Fields’ father told Chris Tomasson that “there’s a strong possibility of [Fields] starting” on Sunday. He’s played two snaps on special teams this season.
The final starting spot in nickel packages would either be fifth-round rookie Harrison Hand, who has played in one game this season, or second-year cornerback Kris Boyd. Boyd has also been limited in practice with a lingering hamstring injury but was not given an injury status on Friday.
The Vikings picked up former Cardinals cornerback Chris Jones, a third-year player who has played in 14 games (3 starts), who has yet to practice this week due to coronavirus protocols.
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- Vikings’ Adam Thielen Among ‘Lukewarm’ Veterans On Trade BlockTrevor 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.