Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook sustained an injury against the San Francisco 49ers Sunday afternoon. This injury appeared serious as Cook was in obvious pain on the ground. The medical team carried Cook off the field in a cart.
After the game, it was announced that Dalvin Cook suffered a shoulder injury and is awaiting further results. The reported results indicated conflicting resulted and an unclear timetable of Cook’s return.
NFL reporter Ian Rapoport reported that Dalvin Cook suffered a torn labrum and will miss limited games.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter initially reported that Cook suffered a dislocated shoulder. Since he has said that it is just a shoulder injury and Cook will miss at least the next two games.
What are the Minnesota Vikings saying?
The Vikings have listed Dalvin Cook as day-to-day. When asked if Cook could play this weekend, head coach Mike Zimmer said no. He was very vague during the press conference and gave the impression that he does not know anything outside of him being day-to-day.
Regardless, this is positive news for the Vikings who are still in playoff contention despite a losing record. The Vikings have an easier game against the Detroit Lions this weekend as they approach life without their star running back.
Next man up
The Vikings’ backup running back Alexander Mattison is no stranger to filling in for Dalvin Cook. Mattison has done so on several occasions. In fact, the Vikings are 2-0 with him as their starting running back this season.
In addition to Mattison, this is a great opportunity for rookie Kene Nwangwu to show what he can do. Nwangwu is an exciting young player out of Iowa State. He has rare speed and has already returned two kick returns for touchdowns this season.
The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions kickoff this Sunday at 12:00pm CST.
