Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins knows that after 18 weeks and 17 games, teams that have made it to the NFL playoffs are likely to have positions that aren't entirely healthy. For the Vikings, the offensive line has been the group hit the hardest recently by the wear and tear of the season.
"You'd love to have everyone healthy all the time, but in Week 19, that's probably not reality,'' Cousins said. "So, you always accept what your hand is.''
The Vikings' hand along the line might be getting stronger for Sunday's NFC playoff game against the New York Giants.
Center Garrett Bradbury, who has missed the past five games because of a back injury, and tackle Blake Brandel, out the past four because of a sprained knee, practiced with the team on Wednesday, and coach Kevin O'Connell is hopeful for a return of both on Sunday.
Bradbury, who suffered a setback on Dec. 17 when he was involved in a car accident, was a limited participant in practice.
"I know he's been feeling really good,'' O'Connell said before Wednesday's practice. "It's been positive reports and kind of the mind-set of trying to go this week. But as I've said with multiple other injuries this year, we won't put Garrett in a position unless we think he can succeed and be healthy doing so.''
Brandel, the likely starter at right tackle in place of the injured Brian O'Neill, went through practice after being designated to return from injured reserve.
"I'm looking at it like Blake is 100 percent ready to go now,'' O'Connell said. "We'll just see how he responds to some real work. We're going to be full-speed today and padded up tomorrow, so we'll get to see some real, tangible evidence of what he can do for us Sunday.''