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Minnesota Vikings cornerback Andrew Booth Jr.’s season is on the line after the second-round rookie underwent surgery on November 28.
Due to a depleted cornerbacks room, Booth started his first game in place of Cameron Dantzler, who is on the injured reserve list, in Week 11 against the Dallas Cowboys and left the game with knee soreness. He was ruled out for Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots and has a chance of missing the rest of the season.
“#Vikings second-round CB Andrew Booth is having knee surgery today, sources say, with the decision to be made during surgery on which procedure is necessary,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported. “There is a chance Booth will miss the rest of the season, but that won’t be evident until post-surgery.”
Andrew Booth Jr. Has Been Injury Plagued the Past 2 Years
Booth was considered a first-round talent who slipped to the Vikings in the second round due to his injury history.
He played his senior year with a sports hernia and underwent a procedure before the draft. Minnesota eased Booth back into action throughout the offseason minicamps and training camps.
Booth impressed during training camp, earning high praise from Patrick Peterson and developing rivalries against the teams’ wideouts. However, several injuries have surfaced since then. Booth was sidelined with a quad injury after playing just two snaps in the season opener and missed the next five games. He’s also been dealing with an ankle injury the past month.
Booth now requiring surgery for his knee shuts down what’s proven to be a disappointing showing for the new regime’s first two picks in first-round safety Lewis Cine and Booth. Both players were expected to make contributions to revamping the secondary. But, with Cine suffering a season-ending lower leg fracture in Week 3 and Booth potentially shut down for the season, Minnesota will have to move on amid a historic start to the season.
Vikings Cornerbacks Getting Back to Full Health
With Booth, Dantzler and fourth-round rookie Akayleb Evans, out with a concussion, missing from the lineup on Sunday, veteran cornerback Duke Shelley made his first start of the season against the Patriots, scoring a 58.5 Pro Football Focus grade in the high-scoring 33-26 victory.
Shelley was on the practice squad earlier in the season before being released. He was then signed off the street in Week 10 after Dantzler landed on the injured reserve list. Shelley played just three snaps that week, although they were vital. He came away with a clutch, pass breakup in the end zone the play before Peterson’s game-clinching interception against the Buffalo Bills in overtime.
Evans, who has missed the past two games while in concussion protocol, has a chance to return this Sunday against the New York Jets and should be in line to start opposite of Peterson.
Dantzler must stay one more game on the injured reserve list before he is eligible to rejoin the team at practice. Star Tribune reporter Andrew Krammer reported that Dantzler expects to make his return after the four-game minimum stint on the list.
“Cornerback Cam Dantzler said he expects to return after a minimum four-game stay on injured reserve and be available Dec. 11 at Lions,” Krammer tweeted.
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