Vlad Ducasse is back on the practice field after leaving last Sunday’s game with an injured knee, but it’s not a 100% certainty that Ducasse will be back in there at starting right guard come Sunday.
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Indications are that Joe Berger could get the start in place of Ducasse.
#Vikings linemen playing coy about potential lineup changes, but Joe Berger did acknowledge he has seen time with the first team this week.
— Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) October 24, 2014
Beat reporters mentioned that Ducasse was running with the second team during practice Friday morning.
The former Jet Ducasse, who was signed this offseason to provide some veteran depth, has been mostly a disaster at right guard since coming in to replace injured Brandon Fusco in the New Orleans game.
A switch to Berger might come as a welcome change for Teddy Bridgewater who hasn’t been getting much help from his O-line the last couple weeks.
Of course, Joe Berger is himself not exactly a Brandon Fusco-level guard. There’s a reason he’s a backup.
Yes Berger is a good backup, but even if he represents an upgrade over Ducasse, that upgrade is not likely to be very large.
Nor is a switch to Berger likely to greatly impact whatever pass protection problems the Vikings have been suffering.
Berger is a better run blocker than Ducasse, that much is certain. The Vikings just need to settle on a right guard and get things working on that end of the line. Phil Loadholt is clearly struggling without his pal Fusco next to him.