Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson suffered a devastating injury in Week 13 of last season, fracturing his femur against the Cardinals. Henderson was immediately immobilized on the field. He required season-ending surgery, and could walk only with the use of a cane for several months thereafter.
The Vikings, though, have been cautiously optimistic about Henderson’s recovery all along. And E.J. is even more upbeat after recently resuming running at full speed.
Henderson told Tom Pelissero of ESPN Twin Cities on Friday that he’ll be “ready to rock” at the start of training camp.
The healthy return of Henderson would provide a lift to Minnesota’s defense. The Vikings run a Tampa 2-style scheme that frequently requires its middle linebacker to drop into deep coverage. Late-season replacement Jasper Brinkley showed in spot starts last year that he could support the run, but his cover skills were poor.
Henderson is considered one of the top cover linebackers in the game.