If you don’t want your anxiety level about the Vikings to rise, you should probably stop reading right now.
Injuries are mounting along the offensive line and a report from ESPN’s Courtney Cronin is especially disconcerting. Cronin reports that guard Nick Easton is looking to get a second opinion on neck and back injuries that have kept him sidelined since late last week.
Vikings left guard Nick Easton will seek a second opinion this week for neck and back injuries, a source tells ESPN. Easton missed Saturday's practice and is being held out today along with starters Pat Elflein and Mike Remmers. Third-string center Cornelius Edison is working…
— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) August 6, 2018
It’s unclear what his injuries are, but it’s usually a bad sign when a player looks for a second medical opinion.
Easton’s injury comes while starting center Pat Elflein is on the physically unable to perform list after undergoing offseason ankle and shoulder surgeries, and right guard Mike Remmers has been out for the past week after rolling his ankle during the first full pads practice of training camp.
All of this comes just weeks after offensive line coach Tony Sparano died of heart failure, leaving the team in mourning and trying to piece together the coaching staff.
The first team offensive line during Monday’s training camp practice included at least one player who most fans have probably never heard of.
- LT: Riley Reiff
- LG: Tom Compton (should be Easton)
- C: Cornelius Edison (should be Elflein)
- RG: Danny Isidora (should be Remmers)
- RT: Rashod Hill
Basically, the Vikings are playing without two starting guards and their center, although Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press reported Monday that Elflein should be back to practice within the next two weeks.
We should also avoid panicking about Remmers unless someone on the team says his ankle injury is more serious than it appears to be.
All in all, these injuries likely mean quarterback Kirk Cousins will make his debut in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Broncos behind a tattered offensive line, but there’s still a month before the regular season begins, which leaves the Vikings plenty of time to get healthy.
