Vikings Defender Reportedly Ready to Return
In the recent Week 5 game in London, the Minnesota Vikings had to battle the Cleveland Browns without roughly a third of their starters. Earlier this week, Skol Nation got some good news from head coach Kevin O’Connell, who announced that various injured players would return to practice.
Vikings Defender Reportedly Ready to Return
Among those were three offensive linemen as well as passer J.J. McCarthy. On the defensive side, linebacker Blake Cashman was part of the group.
Cashman spent the last four contests on IR due to a hamstring injury suffered in the season opener while chasing Caleb Williams. Four games on the sidelines is the minimum length of absence for players on IR. The Vikings opened the defender’s practice window on Monday and now have 21 days to activate him.
Once he’s back on the 53-man roster, he’s eligible to suit up on gameday, with Sunday’s home game against the Philadelphia Eagles being his first chance. It looks like he’ll be ready for that.
Mett Zenitz of CBS Sports reported, “Vikings standout linebacker Blake Cashman is currently expected to be able to return to action and play this week vs. the Eagles after missing the last four games due to a hamstring injury, sources tell CBS Sports. Cashman led Minnesota with 112 tackles last season.”
Not only did Cashman lead the team in tackles despite playing only 14 games, but he also led the entire defense pre-snap. He’s the man with the speaker in his helmet to relay the play-calls to his teammates. Eric Wilson, who replaced him in the starting lineup as Ivan Pace’s running mate, took over the play-calling duties.
Getting the brain of the defense back would give Brian Flores’ group a major boost. He’s a versatile linebacker with a complete skillset, as he can rush the passer, stop the run, and cover pass-catchers. Whatever Flores needs him to do, he can pull off at a pretty high level. When Saquon Barkley is on the other side, whether he has struggled in 2025 or not, it’s crucial to have the whole crew available.
Zenitz added, “Cashman’s expected return to game action this week is big for the 3-2 Vikings heading into a three-game stretch vs. opponents that are all currently 4-2. Was a key piece of last year’s Minnesota defense that ranked No. 2 in the NFL in run defense and No. 5 in scoring defense.”
On Tuesday, Flores praised his free-agency acquisition from 19 months ago: “He’s a big part of what we do defensively,” Flores said. “From a communication standpoint, from just an athleticism, football acumen, keeping other guys in right positions, leadership. He does a great job.”
From a football perspective, Cashman is a fantastic player. His career, however, has always been disturbed by injuries. In his first three seasons with the Jets, the former fifth-rounder was limited to a total of only 15 games. Once he was traded to the Texans, his durability improved, and he logged 30 games in two years. With the Vikings, he has missed three matchups in 2024 and four in 2025.
Cashman is a Minnesota native, born and raised in Eden Prairie, and then he played ball for the Golden Gophers. He’s 29 years old, and his return would be a significant boost for the purple team. The defender is under contract through the 2026 campaign.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.