Blake Cashman, Akayleb Evans out vs. Lions; Aaron Jones, T.J. Hockenson among those questionable for Vikings

Though the Vikings are coming off a bye week, their injury report heading into Sunday’s game against the Lions is their longest of the season.

The Vikings listed seven players with injury designations ahead of their battle for the NFC North lead with the Lions, ruling out linebacker Blake Cashman and cornerback Akayleb Evans while listing five players (running back Aaron Jones, tight end T.J. Hockenson, guard Dalton Risner, defensive lineman Harrison Phillips and outside linebacker Patrick Jones II) as questionable. It seemed on Friday, though, like several of them had a chance to play against Detroit.

Risner and Hockenson are in their 21-day window to practice before they could possibly return from injured reserve, and both were limited participants in practice for the third time this week on Friday. If the Vikings were to play either one in Sunday’s game, they’d have to activate them from injured reserve by 3 p.m. Saturday.

It seemed likely this week that Hockenson’s return would wait until the Rams game on Thursday night or the Colts game on Nov. 3. Risner said this week he’s been ready to play, and though he has yet to go through a full practice, coach Kevin O’Connell left the door open that Risner could be active, and even play, against the Lions.

”We want to make sure that stays competitive, and we end up with the best five, no matter what the week is,” O’Connell said of the offensive line. “But Dalton’s been doing well, and he’s definitely healthy and working every single day to be right there in the mix. I’m really proud of the way Dalton’s handled the whole situation.”

Though Jones missed the Vikings’ only padded practice of the week on Wednesday, he was on the practice field for the second time this week on Friday, after spending his bye week in Minnesota to receive a suite of treatments on his injured right hamstring.

“He got some good work in today, and actually, two really good days of work,” O’Connell said. “I always have dialogue with those guys [on the medical staff] about what the plan of attack is, whether it’s going to be, he’s up and rolling or we need to see anything on game day. But I know he’s prepared, I know he’s ready to roll, and we’ll see how he feels as we work through the weekend.”

Cashman, who sustained a turf toe injury in the Vikings’ win over the Jets in London, will miss his first game this season after not practicing all week, and could be out for the Vikings’ quick turnaround for Thursday night’s game against the Rams in Los Angeles.

With Cashman out, the Vikings will likely give more playing time to Kamu Grugier-Hill, who intercepted two passes in a pair of spot starts when Ivan Pace Jr. was injured. Josh Metellus could play in a linebacker spot more frequently as well, and the Vikings will have Pace in the middle of their defense this weekend. The loss of Cashman, however, could be particularly noteworthy as the Vikings try to slow down a Lions rushing attack that ranks fourth in the NFL.

Evans was working on a side field during the open portion of the Vikings’ practice on Friday to rehab the hip injury he sustained in London. He did not practice all week, and will miss his first game of the season.

Of the players the Vikings listed as questionable, Phillips and Jones were the only two who were full participants in practice Friday.

For the Lions, who lost star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson for the rest of the season to a broken leg on Sunday, starting guard Kevin Zeitler (groin) did not practice Friday and was listed as questionable. “I think it’s going to be hard to say he’s playing,” coach Dan Campbell told reporters Friday.

Starting cornerback Carlton Davis III (quad) was also listed as questionable but was a full participant in practice for the first time this week. Rookie guard Christian Mahogany, who is recovering from mononucleosis, remains out.