Former teammates Eric Kendricks, Anthony Barr will be foes for first time

Linebacker Eric Kendricks said he and his Vikings teammates have to "smell the roses every once in a while" and enjoy the 8-1 start. The compliments are coming from everywhere, including their next opponent, the Dallas Cowboys.

Kendricks keeps in close contact with Anthony Barr, the former Vikings team captain and current Cowboys linebacker who messaged his former teammate from UCLA and Minnesota.

"He sent me a congratulation text [Sunday]," Kendricks said Monday. "They've been having a good season as well."

Barr, the 2014 first-round pick who started 98 games and attended four Pro Bowls for the Vikings, has appeared in eight games for the Cowboys since he left as a free agent last spring.

Barr, 30, has been a full-time player for Dallas when healthy. He has been credited with 31 tackles (18 solo), one for a loss, with a pass deflection and fumble recovery. A hamstring injury kept him from playing last week, but Kendricks said they're still bringing in friends from their college days to U.S. Bank Stadium on Sunday.

"Usually they come to town to watch us on the same team," Kendricks said, "but now they're watching us just play on the same field, so it's pretty cool."

Barr and Kendricks, both from California high schools, were teammates for 11 seasons between 2010-2013 for the Bruins and 2015-2021 with the Vikings. Sunday will be the first time their teams play against each other.

"I'm still rooting for him." Kendricks said. "Not this Sunday, but at the same time, I'll always want the best for him. Love that guy. It's going to be pretty cool."

Former Vikings safety Jayron Kearse also starts for the Cowboys defense.

Cornerback Duke Shelley was a 2019 sixth-round pick by the Bears who didn't join the Vikings locker room until five days before the season opener. He was promoted to the active roster Saturday, played three snaps in a defensive subpackage with six defensive backs, and had a clutch overtime deflection in the end zone while covering Bills tight end Dawson Knox.

Shelley could continue to play a role alongside second-round rookie Andrew Booth Jr., who debuted on defense and played 37 snaps replacing Akayleb Evans. Both Evans and left tackle Christian Darrisaw remain in the concussion protocol, according to coach Kevin O'Connell. Evans was already starting for Cameron Dantzler, who is on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

"Continues to show that he's got the ability to make those plays," O'Connell said of Shelley. "He's confident in himself. He's very smart, instinctive, applies the experience that he's had at some other stops to playing a role in our defense. I think we'll be able to find some spots for both him and Andrew to continue to get some playing time."

Right tackle Brian O'Neill said he was proud of how the Vikings offense was the "more physical group" against the Bills' top-ranked scoring defense in Sunday's 33-30 overtime win. O'Neill was asked about left guard Ezra Cleveland leveling a Bills defensive lineman on a fourth-down conversion to tight end T.J. Hockenson. Cleveland assisted center Garrett Bradbury, who was blocking the defender.

"We talk about trying to get those shots," O'Neill said. "Any time you take them throughout the game, they're going to add up in the fourth quarter. I think we counted over 10 times [Sunday] where we threw somebody to the ground or laid a big hit and played really physical. We were excited to watch those [Monday], it was pretty fun to see."