NFL
Vikings Lose CB Mike Hughes To Season-Ending ACL Tear
Mike Hughes went down in Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals midway through the fourth quarter. He appeared to sustain the tear while tangled up with Cardinals’ receiver Larry Fitzgerald in coverage. The rookie cornerback is believed by medical staff to have hyperextended his knee. An MRI later confirmed that Hughes had torn his ACL.
The Vikings placed Hughes on injury reserve on Monday, meaning a minimum six-week absence. Due to the nature of the injury, however, Hughes looks set to miss the rest of this season. After placing Hughes on IR, the Vikings re-signed defensive tackle David Patty.
The Vikings selected Mike Hughes with the 30th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft. An alumnus of Central Florida, he immediately climbed up the Vikings’ depth chart — impressing the Minnesota coaching staff in training camp. He’ll likely close out his rookie season with 17 tackles, one interception, and a defensive touchdown. Despite the injury, his numbers highlight an encouraging and impressive (though nonetheless brief) NFL debut for the young defender.
What’s Next For The Vikings Defense
It is hard to say at this point how Hughes’ injury will affect Minnesota’s defense. The Vikings are already down a man on defense, with defensive end Everson Griffen absent from the team. There’s still no word on the return of Griffen, who’s out indefinitely due to mental health issues.
As for their secondary, Minnesota’s cornerback depth chart currently consists of Xavier Rhodes, Mackenzie Alexander, Marcus Sherels, and undrafted rookie Holton Hill. The Vikings will likely give Hill and Sherels more snaps this week — or until they figure out a long-term plan for the rest of the season.
Another possible move for the Vikings is shuffling up some aspects of the defensive scheme. Minnesota could then give safeties George Iloka and Anthony Harris increased usage in the corner position as well.
Head coach Mike Zimmer, meanwhile, has declined to comment on any potential plans for patching up his defense. The Vikings’ staff will likely remain quiet on their defensive situation until it’s closer to game day. The Vikings are on the road this week, taking on the New York Jets in what should be an interesting Sunday afternoon matchup.
Photo Credit: Bryan Singer via Flickr
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