Kevin O’Connell Gives Minnesota Vikings Injury Updates on Cashman, Hockenson, Risner

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Kevin O'Connell gives Minnesota Vikings injury updates
Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Vikings are trying to get back on track this weekend on Sunday Night Football. All signs point to an opponent, in the Indianapolis Colts, that may be on the verge of imploding, given all of the questions surrounding their current QB controversy and the poor way head coach Shane Steichen has handled the midseason change.

For this week’s home team, the biggest question is not at quarterback or at head coach. It’s on the injury report, which has yet to release for Wednesday. Less than 24 hours ago, the Minnesota Vikings traded for Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson, to replace left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who was lost for the season, after tearing his ACL and MCL last week vs the LA Rams.

Kevin O’Connell gives the official green light on TJ Hockenson and Dalton Risner

But outside Darrisaw’s devastating departure, the injury skyline is looking brighter and brighter in Vikings land. On Wednesday afternoon, head coach Kevin O’Connell met with media members and gave updates on TJ Hockenson and Dalton Risner, two players coming off the Physically Unable to Perform list.

So, Hockenson will be active on Sunday. KOC was less committal on Risner’s status vs the Colts, however. the head coach confirmed that Dalton is 100% healthy, and that he will be in a Vikings uniform sooner, rather than later.

Related: NFL Trade Rumors: Another 2022 Vikings Draft Pick May be Exiled by Deadline

But O’Connell stopped short of confirming whether or not Dalton Risner will be active in week 9. Unlike Hockenson, Risner’s PUP practice window is not expired yet. Both players spent the first eight weeks of the season on the PUP list.

Not every injured Viking got the green light from KOC today, though. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Blake Cashman and his status for Sunday’s game vs the Colts, a game that was originally targeted as a likely return from his turf toe injury.

Minnesota Vikings less sure about Blake Cashman’s status vs Colts

On Tuesday, he refused an interview request from reporters in the Minnesota Vikings locker room and insider sources had gone from optimistic last week, to leaving text messages regarding Cashman on “read” this week.

Related: Vikings Reportedly Knew All Along They Were Never Activating TJ Hockenson Early

According to the Vikings head coach, during his press conference today, Cashman will have a full ‘individual’ workout on the sidelines, during practice Wednesday. How he responds to that workout will likely dictate his practice schedule and game day availability for the rest of the week.

The Minnesota Vikings injury report came out later in the afternoon. As promised, both Hockenson and Risner were full participants. Blake Cashman, unfortunately, was a DNP.

Most likely, the former Gopher needs to practice in some sort of fashion Thursday, if he has any chance to play on Sunday night vs the Indianapolis Colts. David Quessenberry and Taki Taimani were limited. Akayleb Evans, Hockenson, Risner, Theo Jackson and Josh Oliver were listed as “Full” participants.

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