Minnesota Vikings: 3 players return to team practices
By Adam Carlson
Eric Kendricks, Jarius Wright, and Brandon Fusco have returned to practice for the Minnesota Vikings, giving hope they are good to go for the regular season.
The Minnesota Vikings are definitely playing it safe when it comes to injuries this preseason. Unwilling to test players before they are ready, several important pieces of the team have been sitting out of games and practice to ensure they are ready to compete during the regular season.
Thankfully, three of those players are good to return to practice according to ESPN. Wide receiver Jarius Wright, linebacker Eric Kendricks, and guard Brandon Fusco have all joined the team for activities.
Eric Kendricks has been dealing with a hamstring issue that has sidelined him so far this preseason. Kendricks’ speed and athleticism helped him to earn the starting job in the middle of the linebacker grouping, so having him as close to full health is very important for the team’s success.
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Also, Jarius Wright was struggling with a reported calf injury. Since Wright is the veteran wide receiver on the team, there wasn’t any reason to push him hard to return for the preseason. The team is well aware of what he offers the offense and will likely be plugged right back into his role.
On the other hand, Brandon Fusco’s situation is less clear. He’s been out with an undisclosed injury. Following previous injuries and ineffectiveness at left guard last year, Fusco is out to prove that he can be an effective starting right guard in the NFL. Hopefully more information about what was holding him back is released soon.
In other news, Xavier Rhodes isn’t expected to miss any significant time with his hamstring strain and Alex Boone missed practice due to personal issues, not any kind of injury or ailment.
Next: Vikings game-by-game 2016 season preview
The Minnesota Vikings will play their first game at U.S. Bank Stadium during week 3 of the NFL preseason on Sunday, August 28, 2016 at Noon CT. Their opponent will be the San Diego Chargers, and the team will hope to have as many healthy bodies for the squad’s dress rehearsal available as possible.