Rudy To IR, Hinton Called Up

Hopefully, this is the first step to sitting the starters and seeing what the rookie got...

3 years left on his deal. Hopefully this is not his last season here. Hope they can agree to a cap friendly deal. But, if they have to move on, looks like Irv and Gronklin will be able to handle the load. 

I'm pretty interested to see what is done this week. Logically, we should rest: Cousins, Cook, Jefferson, Thielen, Smith, our 3 young OL, Gladney, Dantzler, Harris, Smith, and Wilson. That would be a bare team, but...why risk any of those guys?

But I think Zimmer might throw good players into this if he has any sense of heat on his job.

Surprised Kendricks isn't on IR, or did I miss the move?

Sounds like we might see some Kyle Hinton on Sunday. Vikings protected him a couple of weeks ago and then activated him this week. Not aware of an injury that is forcing this, so guessing they want to see him in game action ala Udoh last year. 

Love to see this lineup against the Lions:
O'Neill - Hinton - Bradbury - Cleveland - Udoh

If I never see Dozier play again it'll be too soon. 

@"MaroonBells" said: Sounds like we might see some Kyle Hinton on Sunday. Vikings protected him a couple of weeks ago and then activated him this week. Not aware of an injury that is forcing this, so guessing they want to see him in game action ala Udoh last year. 

Love to see this lineup against the Lions:
O'Neill - Hinton - Bradbury - Cleveland - Udoh

If I never see Dozier play again it'll be too soon. 

Totally agree this is definitely the lineup the team should evaluate. That said, if you play O'Neill in a meaningless game where there is risk of injury, do we risk ticking him off as he enters the last year of his contract, as happened with Mac Alexander? I guess they have to make sure Brian's OK with it...he may relish the chance to show he can handle LT.

PS: I had never heard of Kyle Hinton before he was drafted, but immediately hoped he was related to Chris Hinton, the great lineman who finished his career here...but he is not. 

Zimmer said that he doesnt foresee holding any starters out of the game,  however he didnt say for how long or what position they may be playing.   Do we get to see if RR can kick inside and be stronger in the middle?  ONeill or Cleveland at LT?  Udoh on the field at all?

@"JimmyinSD" said: Zimmer said that he doesnt foresee holding any starters out of the game,  however he didnt say for how long or what position they may be playing.   Do we get to see if RR can kick inside and be stronger in the middle?  ONeill or Cleveland at LT?  Udoh on the field at all?

SMH...there are at least 8 players who should be protected from possible injury in a match that is less important than a preseason game - this isn't even prep for an upcoming season, and they don't have to market the game to help attendance. I hope it means Zimmer thinks he has to win to save his job..

@"Jor-El" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said: Zimmer said that he doesnt foresee holding any starters out of the game,  however he didnt say for how long or what position they may be playing.   Do we get to see if RR can kick inside and be stronger in the middle?  ONeill or Cleveland at LT?  Udoh on the field at all?

SMH...there are at least 8 players who should be protected from possible injury in a match that is less important than a preseason game - this isn't even prep for an upcoming season, and they don't have to market the game to help attendance. I hope it means Zimmer thinks he has to win to save his job..

@"Jor-El" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Sounds like we might see some Kyle Hinton on Sunday. Vikings protected him a couple of weeks ago and then activated him this week. Not aware of an injury that is forcing this, so guessing they want to see him in game action ala Udoh last year. 

Love to see this lineup against the Lions:
O'Neill - Hinton - Bradbury - Cleveland - Udoh

If I never see Dozier play again it'll be too soon. 

Totally agree this is definitely the lineup the team should evaluate. That said, if you play O'Neill in a meaningless game where there is risk of injury, do we risk ticking him off as he enters the last year of his contract, as happened with Mac Alexander? I guess they have to make sure Brian's OK with it...he may relish the chance to show he can handle LT.

PS: I had never heard of Kyle Hinton before he was drafted, but immediately hoped he was related to Chris Hinton, the great lineman who finished his career here...but he is not. 

@"MaroonBells" said:

@"Jor-El" said:

@"MaroonBells" said: Sounds like we might see some Kyle Hinton on Sunday. Vikings protected him a couple of weeks ago and then activated him this week. Not aware of an injury that is forcing this, so guessing they want to see him in game action ala Udoh last year. 

Love to see this lineup against the Lions:
O'Neill - Hinton - Bradbury - Cleveland - Udoh

If I never see Dozier play again it'll be too soon. 

Totally agree this is definitely the lineup the team should evaluate. That said, if you play O'Neill in a meaningless game where there is risk of injury, do we risk ticking him off as he enters the last year of his contract, as happened with Mac Alexander? I guess they have to make sure Brian's OK with it...he may relish the chance to show he can handle LT.

PS: I had never heard of Kyle Hinton before he was drafted, but immediately hoped he was related to Chris Hinton, the great lineman who finished his career here...but he is not. 

No, Kyle's not related to Chris, but 4.8 forty, 34 reps, and some pretty ridiculous tape out there put him on a lot of sleeper lists before the draft.

What's interesting to me is that the Vikings protected him, then activated him over Aviante Collins, the player they activated earlier in the year to provide depth when Cleveland went down. Guessing, for better or worse, they already know what they have in Collins and want to see what they have in the rookie. 

No, O'Neill should not play long wherever he plays. 

They might have just elevated him to keep him from being pilfered, ala Alexander Hollins... 

@"Kentis" said: They might have just elevated him to keep him from being pilfered, ala Alexander Hollins... 

That is also very possible. This is the time of year when a lot of that pilfering happens. But I think they could've just kept him protected. Teams can designate 4 "protected" players on their practice squad that other teams can't touch. He was put on that list about a week before activating him.