Things looking optimistic for Vikings LB Anthony Barr to play in Week 1

On Wednesday, the Minnesota Vikings released their first injury report of the week and linebacker Anthony Barr was listed as a limited participant.

It’s been almost an entire calendar year since Anthony Barr last appeared in a game for the Minnesota Vikings.

In Week 2 of last season, Barr suffered a torn pectoral muscle, and it knocked him out for the rest of the year. The Vikings and the linebacker are eager to see him get back on the field, but recently, it seemed like his return might have to be put on hold.

Barr missed a bunch of Minnesota’s practices during the team’s preseason and his status for Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals has been up in the air. On Wednesday, the Vikings officially revealed what sort of injury their linebacker has been dealing with during the last few weeks.

Minnesota Vikings seem optimistic about Anthony Barr playing in Week 1

The reason behind Barr‘s absence from practice has been a bit of a mystery. Rumors floated around about what kind of injury was keeping him off the field, but nothing was ever confirmed by Minnesota.

With the release of their first official injury report of the 2021 regular season, the Vikings revealed that Barr has been sidelined with a knee injury. Despite his lack of practice time during the last few weeks, Minnesota seems to feel like the linebacker’s chance of playing on Sunday against the Bengals is pretty good.

Barr was listed as a limited participant for Wednesday’s practice, but ESPN’s Courtney Cronin reported that the linebacker was a full participant in the individual and team drill portion of the Vikings’ practice session.

On Wednesday, Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer said that Barr has “had a good last week,” and that the team is “hopeful he plays.”

The Vikings still have a long season ahead of them, so rushing the linebacker back onto the field probably wouldn’t be the best idea if he’s not ready. But with the way things are looking, it sounds like Barr is at least getting closer to being ready to get back on the field for Minnesota.