After he was unable to play in the team's previous four games because of a hamstring injury, it seems like Blake Cashman will be back on the field for the Minnesota Vikings when they take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 7.
On Monday, the Vikings opened Cashman's 21-day practice window, and then on Tuesday, CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz shared that the veteran linebacker is reportedly expected to play when the team goes up against the Eagles in a few days.
It's big news for a Minnesota defense that will be attempting to stop a Philadelphia rushing attack led by the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, Saquon Barkley.
Minnesota Vikings should be better at stopping the run with Blake Cashman back on the field
While the Vikings' defense as a whole has still been one of the best in the league this season without Cashman (second in the NFL in EPA per play), the unit has struggled against opposing rushing attacks in the games he's missed.
Minnesota's defense ranks high in a number of categories, but heading into Week 7, they rank 25th in the league in EPA per opposing rush attempt, according to Sumer Sports. Compare this to last season when Cashman was on the field for the majority of the team's games, and the Vikings ranked third in the NFL in EPA per opposing rush attempt.
Stopping the run is never simple whenever Barkley is on the other side of the line of scrimmage, but Minnesota is hoping that it should at least be a little easier on Sunday with Cashman back on the field.
In 14 games with the Vikings last season, the 29-year-old linebacker accumulated 112 tackles (eight for a loss), eight pass breakups, 4.5 sacks, and one fumble recovery. Before injuring his hamstring in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, Cashman was on the field for 43 snaps, and he managed to rack up three tackles.