Jul 27, 2012; Mankato, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end John Carlson (89) leaves the first day of training camp at Blakeslee Stadium at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

Friday’s third preseason game was a bloodbath for the Vikings’ secondary. Mistral Raymond started the parade of wounded DBs, suffering some kind of lower back cramp in pregame and being scratched (he wasn’t scheduled to start anyway). During the game Josh Robinson suffered a possible concussion while making a tackle, and Andrew Sendejo and Marcus Sherels both suffered ankle injuries. Chris Carr seemed to get through the San Diego game healthy but when Sunday came he was missing from practice, also with lower back spasms. All the men mentioned above were missing from practice again on Monday, and we still don’t know what their status will be for the final preseason game.

But at least it looks like we’ll have Robert Blanton for the preseason finale. Who else will line up for the Vikings in the defensive backfield is anybody’s guess. Harrison Smith might have to go out there even though all the other starters are expected to sit. This secondary shuffle is becoming an annual rite for the Vikings and frankly it’s getting a little tiresome.

We need some good injury news. Well there’s this: John Carlson and Geoff Schwartz are both back practicing. Carlson returned on Sunday from his knee issue and on Monday Schwartz made his triumphant return from sports hernia surgery. It’s too late for Schwartz to get back in the fight for the starting right guard position but at least he’s out there providing depth. I doubt we’ll see either of these guys in the preseason finale with the Vikings preserving all their veteran starters and dinged players in anticipation of the real season opener. That last preseason game is gonna be a veritable scrub parade.

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It’s been a rough couple years for Schwartz on the injury front. His entire 2011 season was wiped out by a hip injury, and he came to the Vikings hoping to resurrect his career. Now this sports hernia issue which will almost certainly reduce him to a back-up role at least initially. Respected outlets like Pro Football Focus and PFT rated Schwartz as a potential free agency steal when the Vikings snapped him up but the caveat was health. Now we see why. He can he a very good player but his body keeps breaking down on him.

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Patrick Brown and DeMarcus Love also missed Friday’s practice, the former with a mild sprained MCL and the latter with a bad shoulder. Things have gotten so dire depth-wise that the Vikings are now working out linemen and may be about to sign Bridger Buche who was just cut by the Steelers. As if things weren’t bad enough, Patrick Murphy also went down Friday with an apparent heat-related ailment.

Not a great time to be a Viking O-lineman. Unless you’re an unheralded bottom-end guy looking to make an impression.

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