Vikings starting left tackle Matt Kalil is being held out of the team’s voluntary minicamp this week as he continues to recover from an undisclosed injury.
Kalil didn’t reveal what exactly the injury is, but he told the Pioneer Press it isn’t serious.
“Just some things I got cleaned up. Not a big deal,” Kalil said. “I’ll be back in a few weeks. Nothing real serious.”
The report says Kalil was bothered by shoulder problems last season, which the former Southern California star admitted was part of the reason he wasn’t as good in his second year as he was as a rookie in 2012.
“Yeah, I would say that was a big part of it last year,” he said. “I’m not too worried about it now. It’s all fixed. Just rehabbing and doing all that. Should be all right.”
Kalil, the third overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, was regarded as one of the best left tackles in the NFL after his rookie season. With the sophomore slump in his past, Kalil says he’s “pretty determined to make this year” his best year as a pro.
“The only thing stopping me from doing that is me,” he said.
Part of the reason he might be more determined than ever is the addition of new head coach Mike Zimmer. Kalil told Vikings.com that Zimmer is holding players to a new level of accountability. He added that Zimmer has brought a “different mindset” to the team, and it’s “probably for the better.”
KSTP reports that defensive tackle Linval Joseph, defensive end Corey Wootton, and wide receivers Lestar Jean and Rodney Smith also sat out Wednesday’s session with injuries.
For more on minicamp, check out Vikings.com’s photo gallery from Wednesday’s practice.
