Vikings have first major hiccup of the season, and it’s from a former often injured free agent signing
It was bound to happen at some point.
The Minnesota Vikings had their first injury of the season, and will likely go without linebacker Blake Cashman for a while. He suffered a hamstring injury when trying to chase Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in the 27-24 win, and is set to have an MRI on said hamstring, but the expectations aren’t good.
Blake Cashman likely to miss multiple games
It’s a tough blow for the Vikings to lose Cashman for any amount of time. He’s been the catalyst for the Vikings’ defense under defensive coordinator Brian Flores and the guy with the green dot. His ability to play the run, drop into coverage, and rush the passer has been immensely valuable for them.
If Cashman misses multiple weeks, he will likely go on injured reserve, and the earliest he can return is Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles. That would only be four games with a bye in Week 6.
With Cashman out, veteran Eric Wilson will step up in his place, and Ivan Pace Jr. will play a bigger role on defense. It could also get rookie sixth-round pick Kobe King some playing time. That’s a good thing for his development, but it could end up being a rough spot for the Vikings if he does.
This is also a decent blow to the strategy of the Vikings paying players who are often injured, with the thought that the medical staff can keep them healthy. Cashman missed three games last season, but he was the only one who missed time among their multiple signings last season.
We will see how things go moving forward, but it’s not a great sign.