Jul 30, 2021; Eagan, MN, United States; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr (55) participates in drills at training camp at TCO Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The Vikings went into Thursday’s practice with near perfect attendance ahead of Sunday’s season opener. Even rookie DT Jaylen Twyman made an appearance after suffering four gunshot wounds back in June.
However, there was one key absence that may affect the starting lineup going into Cincinnati. After being a limited participant on Wednesday, Anthony Barr was not seen at practice on Thursday afternoon. The veteran linebacker has been nursing a knee injury since August 9th, and Wednesday was his first appearance back on the practice field since the injury occurred.
As we have now surpassed one month since the injury occurred, it seems like we are trending towards Barr not suiting up against the Bengals. It seems silly to try to rush him back for what should be one of Minnesota’s easier matchups, and the Vikings will certainly need him later in the year.
The Vikings have a linebacker room that is seven men deep, so they have the personnel to get through a week without Barr. Eric Kendricks will man the inside, with Nick Vigil getting the nod at WLB against his former team. The SLB spot was supposed to be Barr’s, but now it seems like Blake Lynch or Troy Dye will see the starting snaps there. It wouldn’t be all that surprising to see rookie Chazz Surratt get some run this weekend, either.
The fact that Barr practiced yesterday shows he is trending in the right direction. Hopefully he will be ready to go sooner than later as the Vikings schedule gets much tougher after Week 1. Their next three games are at Arizona, vs Seattle, and vs Cleveland. It’s an important stretch of games to start the season, and they will need their run-stopping LB.