Vikings' defense will be without two top cornerbacks vs. TitansMike Hughes and Cameron Dantzler have been ruled out because of injuries.The Vikings will be without two cornerbacks for Sunday’s game against the Titans as Mike Hughes and Cameron Dantzler have been ruled out after not practicing this week.
Another cornerback — second-year Kris Boyd — is listed questionable to play because of a hamstring injury suffered midweek. Boyd, who would likely play an increased role Sunday if healthy enough, was limited in practices Thursday and Friday.
Running back Mike Boone was a full participant on Friday, but remains in the concussion protocol and is listed questionable.
“We’ve got a lot of corners on this team,” head coach Mike Zimmer said Friday via videoconference. “That’s part of the plan all along, to have some extra guys. We’ll be all right.”
How long they’ll be without Hughes, whose neck resurfaced on the injury report this week after he played 77.5% of defensive snaps in two games, remains unclear. But the Vikings believe it’s not at least a three-week injury, or he’d be on injured reserve. Hughes’ 2019 season ended
due to a cracked vertebra, and Zimmer was asked Friday if this neck injury is related.
“I don’t believe so,” he said. “I think he’s going to be fine.”
Dantzler jogged on a side field with a Vikings trainer during Friday’s practice, but he has not been able to practice since injuring a rib Sept. 13 vs. the Packers.
The Vikings defense is expected to turn to cornerbacks Holton Hill, Jeff Gladney and, if healthy enough, Boyd, who played a career-high 49 defensive snaps in last year’s regular season finale.
“Kris has done a nice job with the opportunities he’s had to go in,” Zimmer said. “He played a lot in the last game last year, and then he’s done a nice job in training camp."
https://www.startribune.com/vikings-defe...572538971/