Vikings linebackers Blake Cashman, Ivan Pace Jr. listed as questionable for Jaguars game

Vikings linebackers Blake Cashman and Ivan Pace Jr. are listed as questionable to play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, but both defenders were full participants during Friday’s practice.

Cashman was the team’s leading tackler when he suffered a turf toe injury in the Oct. 6 victory against the Jets. He has missed the past three games but said Thursday he was “feeling great” after practice and was on track to play. Coach Kevin O’Connell said the team needs to see how his big toe responds to his first full practice on Friday.

“Today was part of it, and now we’ll see how he responds and how he feels tomorrow,” O’Connell said Friday. “He got some good work in yesterday, a little more today to get back to his full normal Friday workload. We’ll see how he feels coming off that, and if we could have him for Sunday, that would be a huge bonus.”

O’Connell said Pace played 52 of 54 snaps through a knee injury during last Sunday’s victory against the Colts. But he talked like his defense was expecting to have both starting inside linebackers for the first time since Week 5.

“To get Blake and IP back in there together is a force in our base defense,” O’Connell said.

“Cash’s off-the-wall coverage ability, his speed, his bursts,” the coach added. “He’s really, really instinctual in zone coverage. So, when you’re looking at things that may have caused our defense some conversation over the past few weeks, I think Blake Cashman’s a big part of the consistency factor in how we want to play. It’s a big thing that I’ve been looking forward to clearly for a while, and I just want to credit him for the work he’s put in to get back.”

Undrafted rookie edge rusher Gabe Murphy (knee) is also questionable after returning to practice this week. He would need to be activated from injured reserve to play. Cornerback Akayleb Evans (hip) has been cleared to play as he returns from a three-game absence.

The Jaguars will be without starting guard Ezra Cleveland, the former Vikings starter, because of an ankle injury.

Jacksonville may also be without starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is among eight players listed as questionable by the Jaguars. Receivers Brian Thomas Jr. (chest) and Gabe Davis (shoulder) are also questionable. O’Connell said the Vikings prepared for both Lawrence and backup quarterback Mac Jones, the former Patriots first-round pick who threw for a career-high 382 yards against the Vikings and former coordinator Ed Donatell on Thanksgiving Day in 2022.

“As far as guys that are one snap away in the NFL, I don’t know if there are many more guys qualified than Mac, based upon where he’s at in his journey,” O’Connell said. “He’s going to be a challenge if it is indeed Mac. I still think as tough as Trevor is, he’s played with things in the past. He’s played without even participating in the past, so we’ve got to be ready for both.”

Left tackle Cam Robinson said he’s getting a “better feel” for the Vikings offense after his first full week in Minnesota. And he’s already going back to Jacksonville, where he made 94 starts in seven and a half seasons before he was traded to the Vikings on Oct. 30 for a conditional fourth-round pick.

“Obviously, it’s a little different,” Robinson said. “It’s something to think about. I was there for so long, I was there for eight years. I mean, it’s obviously different just prepping to go there, but I’m looking forward to it, I welcome it.”

The Vikings offense had a cleaner operation last week against the Colts. For the first time this season, they had no pre-snap penalties like delay of game or illegal formation. Part of the change included coordinator Wes Phillips leaving the upstairs booth for the sideline. Phillips said he hadn’t been on an NFL sideline during a game since 2019, when he was the Rams tight ends coach.

“We’re just trying to find the best way to communicate in-game,” Phillips said. “Felt like there were some things maybe communication-wise between position groups while Kevin is down there, flipping over to defense and managing the game, all the things he does. Just felt like me being able to move around and talk to him directly was going to help us.”

Safety Bobby McCain, a 10th-year veteran, is on the practice squad, but he’s been a vital set of eyes for O’Connell during Vikings practices. McCain plays on the defensive scout team, giving the starting offense looks at what the opposing defense will play against them. McCain, on his fourth NFL team, said it’s “very rare” for a head coach to ask his input on what defenders will think about a play. He’s been shouted out by O’Connell in a team meeting for advice that led to a midweek adjustment.

“Giving him a good eye of what I see,” said McCain, whom O’Connell first approached with a question before the season opener against the Giants, one of his former teams. “‘What do you think if the [receiver] does this?’ Just minor details. In this league, every inch counts. So, minor details like how a guy is lined up or the personnel we use in different spots.”

With his next 100-yard receiving game, Justin Jefferson will tie former Rams receiver Torry Holt for the third-most 100-yard games in a player’s first six seasons. Jefferson is only in his fifth season. His 32 games with at least 100 yards in that span trail only Randy Moss (38), Julio Jones (35), and Holt (33).