Linval Joseph still hasn’t returned to practice and the Vikings are now working out nose tackles.
The Vikings have played two straight games without nose tackle Linval Joseph and it’s looking like they will have to manage without him for at least one more.
Joseph reportedly has not yet returned to practice, which is bad enough.
In another sign that Joseph could be ruled out for this weekend’s game against the Bears, the Vikings on Tuesday tried out a pair of nose tackles.
Per ESPN, Minnesota worked out former Browns tackle Phil Taylor and CFL tackle Euclid Cummings.
No word on whether either player will be signed in the near future.
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The 6-3, 335-pound Taylor was a first-round draft pick of the Browns in 2011. He played for the Browns through 2014 but was not brought back this year and thus far has failed to catch on anywhere in 2015.
The 6-4, 275-pound Cummings played his college ball at Georgia Tech and was signed by the Buccaneers in 2014 as a UDFA but was later cut and has never played in an NFL game.
Cummings played the last two years for the Toronto Argonauts of the CFL and had 9 sacks during the 2015 regular season.
Neither guy is Linval Joseph.
With Joseph on the shelf, the Vikings have been playing Sharrif Floyd at nose tackle and Tom Johnson at Floyd’s normal 3-tech position.
The reshuffled defensive line did a good enough job against the Cardinals but obviously would have been even better with Joseph on the field.
Kenrick Ellis is the current primary backup at defensive tackle.