The Viking Age » scott kooistra

Vikings Free Agent Roundup

Levi Satterlee — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:28:43 +0000

Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Erin Henderson (50) before the game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Tim Fuller-US PRESSWIRE

NFL free agency starts on March 13, only 33 days away. So now is the time to dissect our pending free agents. After the resigning of Pat Brown, the Vikings have 17 free agents to be.

Since we’re all Vikings fans and in need of some good news, I’ll start there. There are only four starters on this list: EJ and Erin Henderson, Husain Abdullah, and Visanthe Shiancoe. So not to worry, the team that went 3-13 and tied for the worst record in Vikings history will almost completely return! Oh, wait. Well, it’s news anyway.

In that list of four starters, the only guy I see as a lock for returning is Erin Henderson. With two-thirds of the Vikings’ linebacking core set to be free agents, at least one will need to be resigned. It could get a little awkward if they split up the brothers, but the NFL is a business and Erin is younger and healthier.

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Scott Kooistra Undergoes Spinal Surgery

Dan Zinski — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 14:36:33 +0000

Earlier this preseason Bill Musgrave praised Vikings offensive lineman Scott Kooistra for bringing “an element of toughness to our team that we very much desire.” Now we’ve learned, calling Kooistra “tough” may be an understatement. Kooistra reportedly played several downs Saturday night after injuring the C-2 vertebrae in his neck while blocking the Seahawks‘ Aaron Curry. The injury did ultimately force Kooistra from the game, and afterward doctors discovered a significant enough problem that he was ordered to stay in the hospital in Seattle.

As of Monday, Kooistra was reported to have full movement in all his extremities. An MRI was performed on Tuesday and doctors decided that surgery was necessary. I’m happy to report that Kooistra underwent successful neck surgery later on Tuesday and is currently recovering.

Obviously Kooistra will not be returning to the football field in the foreseeable future, and may in fact have played his last game. Sadly the injury came just as the journeyman lineman was beginning to receive serious consideration for a starting job at right guard. As a result of the injury, the Vikings have placed Kooistra on IR – but that’s just the insignificant business-of-football side of the story; what matters is that Kooistra appears on his way to recovery after what could’ve been a life-threatening situation.

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Vikings Place Scott Kooistra On Injured Reserve

Dan Zinski — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:45:41 +0000

The Vikings may have won Saturday night’s preseason tilt with Seattle, but the victory came at a pretty high cost. Today Leslie Frazier revealed that guard Scott Kooistra suffered a jammed neck during the game, an injury severe enough that Kooistra has still not been able to leave Seattle. The Vikings have been forced to place Kooistra on IR, ending his season. The move freed up a roster spot which the Vikings have already filled by signing DE Stylez White.

Saturday night’s game was Kooistra’s first start of the preaseason and his last (and probably his last action ever in purple). It had been hoped that he might figure into the right guard mix with Chris DeGeare – who has actually been getting reps at right tackle lately – and Anthony Herrera, who is still coming back from a knee injury, but obviously the Vikings will now have to look elsewhere for offensive line depth. They still have Ryan Cook, who is a solid enough vet though a tad penalty-prone.

Just when you thought the offensive line couldn’t be any more of a mess…

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