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A few surprises accompanied the Minnesota Vikings’ final injury report for the wild-card round matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Cornerback Mike Hughes was downgraded from limited practice participation to being out for Sunday’s game with the Saints, and was subsequently moved to the injured reserve list with a neck issue.
Additionally, cornerback Mackensie Alexander was also downgraded, and will not be available for Sunday’s game. He’s been struggling with a knee injury. Both players rotate into and out of the slot corner position, and their absence will undoubtedly provide challenges for the Vikings defense.
Alexander is a huge loss, and is considered one of the better Vikings cornerbacks on the roster. He played 48.8% of all defensive snaps in 2019, and boasted a 65.7 rating from Pro Football Focus. Despite recording only one interception this season, Alexander has often provided above-replacement coverage at his position.
Hughes is also a significant loss for Minnesota, considering he saw an average of 45.6% of defensive snaps. He was also a punt returner who saw an expanded role with the special teams units as the season went on, so his loss will be felt on two different fronts of the Vikings gameplan.
Number-one cornerback Xavier Rhodes will be heavily relied upon against New Orleans, but we knew that already. He has recently struggled in his play, turning in his worst-graded season as a pro. Expect the Saints to consistently attack the slot and Rhodes in their offensive gameplan, creating opportunities for Michael Thomas and Drew Brees to attack downfield. Number-two cornerback Trae Waynes will also likely have to shoulder a heavier workload.
The #Vikings have signed CB Marcus Sherels and placed CB Mike Hughes on IR. pic.twitter.com/OH1RyHL8gr
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) January 3, 2020
Minnesota signed veteran Marcus Sherels in response to both of these injury blows. Sherels will likely return punts for the Vikings, and provide depth at the cornerback position. Despite not seeing the field much this season, it appears Minnesota feel confident he can return to previous form and produce in a playoff situation. Ironically, he was the favorite to return punts for the Saints this year, but he was outplayed by rookie sensation Deonte Harris, who was named to both the Pro Bowl and AP first-team All-Pro list.
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