The Vikings’ plan at left tackle remained up in the air Wednesday as the team practiced without Cam Robinson, the newly-acquired veteran with 91 starts for Jacksonville since being drafted in the second round in 2017.
Vikings’ plan at left tackle on hold until Cam Robinson is able to practice Thursday
The Vikings acquired a replacement for Christian Darrisaw in a trade with the Jaguars on Tuesday, but don’t know yet whether Robinson can play on Sunday vs. the Colts.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
October 30, 2024 at 10:35PM
“We hope to have him practice [Thursday], and we’ll see where he’s at,” coach Kevin O’Connell said shortly before Wednesday’s practice, when Robinson was still en route to TCO Performance Center.
“If he’s ready to go and prepared, I’d like to get him in the mix there. If for whatever reason, either situational or something where we hold him out and give him a full week of prep next week, we’ll see how it goes. I think we have a good plan in place.”
Robinson, 29, started seven of the Jaguars’ eight games this season. He was cleared from NFL concussion protocol before Jacksonville’s game last Sunday but did not play.
Vikings General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah sent a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick to Jacksonville for Robinson and a conditional 2026 seventh-rounder after the Vikings lost Christian Darrisaw, who suffered a season-ending injury to his left knee in last Thursday’s 30-20 loss at the Rams.
“When you lose a player like Christian Darrisaw, it’s so catastrophic because he means so much to your team,” O’Connell said. “To find a player of Cam’s caliber, in season, like Kwesi was able to … we’re very much looking forward to getting [Robinson] here.”
O’Connell wouldn’t reveal his plan if Robinson isn’t ready by Sunday. The team is considering moving left guard Blake Brandel to left tackle and inserting Dalton Risner at left guard. Backup David Quessenberry started two games in place of Darrisaw last season but struggled in his 25 snaps after Darrisaw went down against the Rams.
Risner, the starter at left guard last year, has been on injured reserve all season, but has been designated for return and is likely to be activated this week.
“He’s healthy,” O’Connell said. “He’s ready to roll.”
O’Connell ‘hopeful’ on Cashman
Inside linebacker Blake Cashman, who has missed the past two games, both losses in which the defense struggled without him, went through a full allotment of rehab work on an outdoor field while the team practiced inside Wednesday, “just to make sure he’s ready to roll,” O’Connell said. “I think we can have some pretty good understanding after [Wednesday] as to where Blake’s at,” O’Connell added. “I’m still really hopeful we’ll have him Sunday night.”
Cashman didn’t practice. Meanwhile, Quessenberry (knee) and defensive tackle Taki Taimani (ankle) were limited in practice.
Five Colts players did not practice Wednesday: receiver Josh Downs (toe), center Ryan Kelly (calf/knee), receiver Michael Pittman (back), tackle Bernhard Raimann (concussion) and tackle Braden Smith (knee).
Hockenson looking good as ever
O’Connell said tight end T.J. Hockenson is set to make his season debut and will not be limited to a predetermined snap count. He’ll share some duties with Josh Oliver and Johnny Mundt, as he did last season before suffering his torn ACL in Week 17.
“I think T.J. is ready to play,” O’Connell said. “He’s as good as he’s looked since we got him here. And that’s saying something considering the impact he made right away in ‘22, and the season he was having last year at the time he was hurt. He’s a huge part of our offense, our system.”
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A 39-yard touchdown pass to Justin Jefferson inside the final four minutes lifted the Vikings to a 27-24 win over Seattle and their 13th win of the season.
