Vikings LB Blake Cashman will miss multiple weeks with hamstring injury

EAGAN, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Vikings linebacker Blake Cashman will miss multiple weeks with a hamstring injury he suffered while chasing Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams in the season-opening win over the Bears, leaving the defense without a vital player.

Cashman pulled up limping late in the third quarter after Williams scrambled away from the pass rush and raced around the right end for a 13-yard run on second-and-6. The seventh-year veteran was ruled out for the rest of the game soon after that.

Vikings coach Kevin O'Connell said Wednesday that kickoff returner Ty Chandler, the team's third running back, will also miss multiple weeks with a knee injury he suffered in Chicago. Chandler played through the injury during a 33-yard kickoff return from 7 yards deep in the end zone that helped the Vikings get past the 2-minute warning Monday and further drain the clock.

Edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel and cornerback Jeff Okudah were “both doing well” in the concussion protocol, O'Connell said. With one fewer day to recover prior to the home opener Sunday against Atlanta, however, their status for the game is uncertain.

Left tackle Christian Darrisaw and safety Harrison Smith were both inactive against the Bears, not quite cleared in their respective recoveries. Darrisaw is coming back from ACL surgery he had 10 months ago and Smith has been ramping up his conditioning after a personal health matter sidelined him from practice about a month ago.

In his first interview with reporters since his absence, Smith said Wednesday he's feeling better and that his issue was physical, not mental. He declined to delve into specifics. Because he was not placed on injured reserve, which requires a player to miss a minimum of four games to free up a roster spot, the expectation from Smith and the Vikings has been that he would be back sooner than later.

“We’re kind of fluid if I’m ready to go or not. If I can help the team or not, that’s all that matters,” he said. “I think I’ll be able to bounce back pretty quick as far as building stamina. It’s a new experience, so I’m figuring it out.”

Cashman led the Vikings with 111 tackles last season, his first with his home-state team. During his three-game absence in October with a turf toe injury, the Vikings allowed two of their three highest points against totals in consecutive losses to the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams.

Cashman wears the green dot on his helmet that allows for pre-snap wireless radio communication with the coaching staff, responsible for the calls in the huddle and directing traffic leading up to the play. Ninth-year veteran Eric Wilson, who rejoined the Vikings this year, took over for Cashman.

Wilson has mostly been a backup and a special teams contributor throughout his career, but in 2020 with Minnesota he started 15 games and in 2024 with Green Bay he started 12 games.

“If I’m wearing the green dot, I’m prepared for it,” Wilson said.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL