What can the Vikings expect from Mike Hughes in 2019?
By Chris Schad
Hughes may get off to a slow start
For all purposes, Mike Hughes’ injury mimics the one Dalvin Cook suffered a couple of years ago. While neither was as catastrophic as Peterson’s or Bridgewater’s was at the time of injury, Hughes tore his knee up at roughly the same time (and eerily over the same yard line) that Cook did in 2017.
A year ago, many wondered what Cook could bring to the table coming off his injury and he appeared to be ahead of schedule during OTAs.
After being buried in bubble wrap throughout the preseason outside of a couple carries in the third game, Cook was turned loose in the Vikings’ regular season opener and he didn’t look like himself. He finished with 16 carries for just 40 yards in Week 1 against the San Francisco 49ers and just 10 carries for 38 yards against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2.
Although comparing a running back’s recovery from a torn ACL to a defensive back’s may be apples to oranges, there could be a similarity here if Hughes is ready to go in Week 1.
The fact that Hughes is unlikely to be 100 percent to begin the year (and the suspension of Holton Hill) could be the reason why Minnesota opted to hold on to Trae Waynes instead of dealing him during the 2019 NFL Draft.