Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon, who along with Matt Asiata has been trying to fill the void created by the indefinite absence of Adrian Peterson, has an ankle injury that could keep him from playing on Monday night. McKinnon nevertheless remains intent on playing.
“I’m not trying to miss games,” McKinnon said, via the team’s official website. “I’ve been doing whatever . . . the training staff have had me doing to make sure my ankle is getting stronger.”
He injured the ankle in Sunday’s loss to the Eagles.
“The day after is probably the worst,” McKinnon said. “It feels a lot better though.”
Via the Associated Press, McKinnon shed a walking boot on Friday, but he still didn’t practice.
If McKinnon can’t play or is limited, the Vikings would give more reps to Ronnie Hillman, who signed with the Vikings after Peterson suffered his Week Two knee injury.
The Vikings will issue their final injury report of the week later today, and it will shed plenty of light on McKinnon’s expected status. Next comes the question of whether he travels with the team to Chicago for Monday night’s game against the Bears.