Vikings lose LB Anthony Barr for the rest of the 2020 season

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr is done for the year.

As if Sunday’s embarrassing loss wasn’t bad enough for the Minnesota Vikings, the team found out on Monday that linebacker Anthony Barr is going to miss the rest of the 2020 season due to injury.

Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer revealed on Monday that Barr suffered a torn pectoral muscle during the team’s Week 2 loss to the Colts and the veteran linebacker is headed to injured reserve for the remainder of the year.

Barr has been a part of Minnesota’s starting defense since he joined the team in 2014. Now the Vikings have to figure out how to make up for his loss.

Who will the Minnesota Vikings pick to replace Anthony Barr?

After the news of Barr’s injury, Minnesota currently has just three players on their starting defense who were in the same role in 2019. With Danielle Hunter injured and Shamar Stephen switching over to nose tackle, Eric Kendricks, Anthony Harris, and Harrison Smith are the only three healthy guys left with the same role as last season.

So who is going to step in place for Barr for the rest of the year?

On the depth chart, rookie linebacker Troy Dye will likely take over Barr’s starting spot in the defense. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings opted to spread out Barr’s snaps between Dye and veteran Eric Wilson.

With no preseason or OTAs this year, depending on a rookie to make up for the loss of a longtime starter is more difficult than ever. Minnesota would be wise to use multiple players with varying experience levels to replace Barr this season.

Outside of Dye and Wilson, Ryan Connelly is the only other linebacker on the Vikings active roster right now. Minnesota claimed Connelly off of waivers prior to the start of the season and as a rookie in 2019, he finished with 20 tackles (two for a loss), two interceptions, two pass breakups, and one sack in four games with the New York Giants.

The Vikings currently have two linebackers on their practice squad in Hardy Nickerson Jr. and rookie Blake Lynch. One should expect at least one of these two players to be added to Minnesota’s active roster before the team’s Week 3 matchup against the Tennessee Titans.

As for Barr, his season is over and his career with the Vikings could potentially be over as well. The linebacker already had the chance to be a cap casualty in 2021 and this injury might increase the likelihood of that actually happening.

Have we seen the last of Barr in a Minnesota uniform?