It will be a short week for the Vikings. After taking their first loss of the season against the Detroit Lions, they will play on Thursday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams.
Both star tight end T.J. Hockenson and veteran guard Dalton Risner have been practicing with the team since Minnesota opened up their practice windows. Kevin O’Connell wasn’t ready to commit to either of them playing against the Rams, but it sounds like it could be possible.
“Yeah, it’s early. We’ll make that determination these next couple days,” O’Connell said Monday. “Very much a possibility.”
Hockenson would be a big boost to Minnesota’s passing game to go along with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Risner, however, could fill a void at right guard. Ed Ingram has played poorly most of the season and Risner could slot in there.
In other news, Minnesota was without starting linebacker Blake Cashman against the Lions. Like the other two, O’Connell didn’t say if Cashman would be ready to go for Thursday, but he should be a go for the Colts in two weeks for sure.
“He’s progressing,” O’Connell said. “Coming along from that toe in a way where I don’t know if he’ll be available or not yet, as far as the estimations on his workload via the fact that we’re taking the tempo down on practices and the workload as we prep for Thursday. If we can have him, great. If not, I do feel very positive about the Colts game for sure. I’m not in a place yet to rule him out quite yet.”