Anthony Barr to make Minnesota Vikings return vs Raiders

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr has been dealing with knee issues since the 2014 NFL season. So far, he has missed both the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game and the team’s week 1 preseason contest against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thankfully, the #9 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft looks set to return tonight against the Oakland Raiders.

The team played it very safe with Barr, limiting his action and regulating him film duties on most occasions. Now that he seems ready to go, there doesn’t seem to be any stopping the former UCLA powerhouse when he could potentially take the field with his college teammate Eric Kendricks tonight.

Here is what Anthony Barr had to say about his return to action in a recent article on the Star Tribune website:

"“You want to play football. That’s all I want to do is to play, be a part of a team and go out there and have fun. I love the game.”"

It is understandable that the Minnesota Vikings were so cautious with their young linebacker. After seeing his solid play during his rookie campaign, it just made sense to have him miss preseason contests until he was 100% again. But from the sound of things, Anthony Barr might actually be feeling better than 100%.

"“He told [head athletic trainer Eric Sugarman] he feels the best he’s felt in a long, long time, right now,” Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said Thursday. “He’s having fun at practice, he’s excited to get going and now we can start implementing him into things a lot more.”"

Nov 23, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) looks on during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at TCF Bank Stadium. The Packers defeated the Vikings 24-21. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Personally, I can’t wait to see Anthony Barr back on the football field. Although he’s only been a part of the Minnesota Vikings for one full year at this point, he already feels like an important part of this team’s young defense. He’s got the kind of athleticism that can turn heads and make people forget about how bad things were for the Vikings linebacker group just a couple of years ago.

And while I’m excited for Anthony Barr’s return, I don’t think anyone could be more pumped about it than Barr himself.

"“I can’t wait. It’s going to be a great experience for me,” he said. “It’s going to be good to get back out there and just get my feet wet again. So I’m looking forward to it.”"

You can catch Anthony Barr and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings when they play the Oakland Raiders tonight at 7 pm CT. Check your local listings for time and availability.

Next: Minnesota Vikings 2015 Game By Game Previews

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