Jerick McKinnon Still Not Practicing For Vikings

After missing Sunday’s game against the Panthers due to a back injury, Minnesota Vikings rookie running back Jerick McKinnon still hasn’t returned to practice for the team.

Jerick McKinnon has put together a pretty good rookie season at running back so far. He’s currently averaging 4.8 yards per carry and has picked up 21 first downs on the ground. McKinnon has also added 135 receiving yards and has picked up 7 first downs on those plays. The Vikings seem to really miss his productivity when he isn’t available.

Nov 16, 2014; Chicago, IL, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (31) at the end of their game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Bears won 21-13. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

In his absence last week, running back Matt Asiata struggled immensely against a weak Carolina run defense that gives up a lot of rushing touchdowns. Asiata picked up only 52 yards on 14 carries, an average of 3.7 yards and adding 4 catches for 5 yards. It’s obvious that the team missed Jerick McKinnon’s explosive ability compared to Asiata’s power based approach.

The Vikings have already dealt with problems at the running back position this year. Star player Adrian Peterson has been inactive due to legal issues since playing in week 1 of the season. Matt Asiata suffered a concussion. Jerick McKinnon is dealing with a lower back issue. And, as an insurance policy, the Vikings picked up Ben Tate off waivers from the Cleveland Browns.

Jerick McKinnon’s inability to practice on Wednesday is a bad sign for his potential availability on Sunday against the excellent run defense of the New York Jets. We’ll know more about his status on Friday, when the team’s final injury reports for the week are released.

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