Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman out again; plan at left tackle vs. Colts still under wraps

The Vikings will be without Blake Cashman for the third straight game on Sunday night against the Colts.

They ruled Cashman out on Friday with the turf toe injury that’s kept him from practicing all week. Coach Kevin O’Connell had been hopeful the linebacker could return for the Colts game, but the Vikings will have to wait at least one more week for Cashman to get back on the field.

“During his work on the side field on Wednesday, he was very, very close, but just not quite there,” O’Connell said. “So we decided to allow him to continue his progression through his rehab, and hope to have him next week [against Jacksonville].”

The Vikings have given up intermediate throws over the middle with Cashman out, and will have to counter a similar approach from the Colts on Sunday night. Quarterback Joe Flacco uses a quick release and short throws to Michael Pittman and Josh Downs to beat pressure, and Indianapolis could try to pick on the Vikings in a similar fashion to how Detroit and Los Angeles did with Cashman missing those games.

Defensive lineman Taki Taimani was also ruled out with the ankle injury he first sustained in Wednesday’s practice. He did not practice on Thursday or Friday.

“It was just kind of a normal run play with a couple bodies going down,” O’Connell said. “‘He did get rolled up a little on that ankle.”

Rookie Levi Drake Rodriguez will likely be active in Taimani’s place, O’Connell said, and the Vikings could also elevate Jalen Redmond from the practice squad for the defensive line.

Cornerback Akayleb Evans was listed as questionable.

After the Vikings acquired Cam Robinson in a deal with the Jaguars on Tuesday, the left tackle practiced with the team on Thursday and Friday after passing his physical.

O’Connell would not say whether Robinson will start on Sunday night in place of the injured Christian Darrisaw, but said he’s been impressed with Robinson’s start.

“He’s had really good practice reps when he’s been in there,” O’Connell said. “We’ve got a good plan in place, and I’m excited to see how it all plays out.”

The coach said Dalton Risner, who has been out with a back injury since training camp, is healthy. His return for Sunday night is “kind of under discussion right now,” O’Connell said. “But I feel great about having Dalton available. He knows he’s got my confidence and he’ll be ready to go when called upon.”

If Robinson does not start, the Vikings could go with David Quessenberry at left tackle, if they wanted to keep Blake Brandel at left guard and have Risner ready as an alternative to Ed Ingram on the right side. They could also move Brandel from left guard to tackle and play Risner at guard, though the Vikings’ quick move for Robinson, after Darrisaw tore his ACL and MCL, would suggest they’d like to replace Darrisaw with minimal disruption to the rest of their line configuration.

Wide receiver Justin Jefferson talked Thursday about how O’Connell had simplified some things in the Vikings’ game plan this week, adding, “We’re going out there and just playing, really not focusing too much on the concepts and more focusing on the players we have on the field.”

The Vikings’ pre-snap penalties have been a hindrance during their losses to the Lions and Rams, and they’ve spent timeouts to avoid delay of game penalties after breaking the huddle with little time on the play clock. On Friday, O’Connell called the adjustments to the offense a “constant evaluation.”

“As much as we try to give our players an advantage for their benefit, it’s a reflection of the value received off the things we do,” he added. “It could be great on one play, and then it could cause some things to be hard to execute, if the noise is more than you think it is, or put a little bit more on Sam [Darnold’s] plate. It’s, ‘Do we need to do that? Well, it’d be great to do it, but let’s be smart about this.’ I think to the naked eye, it might look the same. The intent is for our players to feel like, ‘Man, I love this game plan. We’re sharp. We should be able to be crisp and efficient.’”

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