Vikes coach Zimmer peeved by players’ vaccine hesitancy
As the Vikings prepared to practice shorthanded at quarterback for a second time Monday, head coach Mike Zimmer doubled down on his critique of unvaccinated players and offered a simple summation of the risk to the team: “I just feel like we’re going to have guys miss games.”
The Vikings signed Case Cookus on Monday, giving the team two quarterbacks for practice, and Minnesota claimed quarterback Danny Etling on waivers from Seattle late in the afternoon.
But with Kirk Cousins, Kellen Mond and Nate Stanley on the COVID19 reserve list, and Cousins expected to be out until Thursday as a highrisk close contact, Zimmer made his frustration with the situation even clearer.
“I just don’t understand,” Zimmer said. “I think we could put this thing to bed if we all do this (get vaccinated). But it is what it is.”
Jake Browning was the only quarterback available for the Vikings’ Saturday night practice after Mond reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus. But because Browning is vaccinated, he still was able to practice under league protocol even though he would have attended the same QB meetings with Mond, Cousins and Stanley.
Instead, Cousins and Stanley were placed on the COVID19 reserve list, which is for players who either test positive or were a close contact with someone who did. Vaccinated players are not placed on the list unless they test positive.
When asked Monday if he planned to talk individually to unvaccinated players, Zimmer said again he’s talked to the Vikings’ roster as a whole about vaccinations.
“Like I said before, there are quite a few guys that are just against it,” he said. “I’m not going to be able to change their mind, so it’s like half the country, I guess.”
Although the issue has affected the Vikings in training camp, it also has provided a cautionary tale, in Zimmer’s mind, for what could happen if an unvaccinated player is put into COVID protocol the night before a game.
Asked how he would feel if he lost his starting quarterback before a pivotal game, Zimmer said, “Probably won’t be happy we lost the game, first, and I probably won’t be happy we could’ve prevented this. Like I said, these guys, some of them just won’t do it. I shouldn’t say it, but some of the things they read (are) just … out there.”
Wentz out for weeks: Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich couldn’t wait to start working with quarterback Carson Wentz on the field. Reich will have to wait at least five more weeks — perhaps longer.
Just minutes after running his first trainingcamp practice,
Reich announced Wentz would miss five to 12 weeks with a left foot injury. Wentz was injured during Thursday’s practice and spent several days debating recovery options before scheduling surgery for Monday afternoon in Indianapolis.
“The next couple of days were a discussion over whether we can leave it (the bone fragment) in there. We can leave it in there, try to manage it, see how it holds up over the year,” Reich said. “We wanted what was the more predictable outcome. It was like, What’s the most predictable outcome? Let’s get the piece out of there and begin the rehab process.”
Team officials believe they’ll have a better timeline a couple of weeks into Wentz’s recovery.
Offensive coordinator Marcus Brady said Wentz left practice early Thursday after feeling a twinge in his foot. What doctors found, Reich said, was an old high school injury that Wentz was likely unaware of. They told the Colts that Wentz could play through the pain
but Indy decided to play it safe.
Indy’s opener, Sept. 12 against Seattle, is almost six weeks out.
“I’m always optimistic,” Reich said. “But just knowing Carson, I’m optimistic, knowing this is the type of injury you don’t have to be painfree to play with. I know Carson’s level of toughness. I know he can play with pain.”
For now, Jacob Eason will continue taking snaps with Indy’s starters. Eason was a fourthround draft pick in 2020 out of Washington and has not yet appeared in an NFL game. His results through Indy’s first five practices have been mixed. The Colts also signed former Green Bay and Arizona quarterback Brett Hundley.
Stafford hurt: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford stopped passing after hitting the thumb of his throwing hand on the helmet of a defensive player near the end of practice. Head coach Sean McVay is hopeful it is nothing serious.
Stafford was looked at by trainers but did not resume throwing. He was able to grip a towel and his helmet, which is why McVay was hopeful.
“I think he’ll be OK. We’ll just see what happens. That’s part of the game,” McVay said.
Dolphins’ virus issues: Miami receiver Preston Williams joined three tight ends already on the team’s COVID19 reserve list, and cooffensive coordinator George Godsey was absent Monday for medical reasons.
Williams was added to the list after tight ends Mike Gesicki, Cethan Carter and Adam Shaheen were shelved Sunday.
The Dolphins didn’t say whether the players tested positive or entered protocol because of contact tracing, and they didn’t specify a reason for Godsey’s absence.
Briefly: Kansas City tight end Travis Kelce returned to practice after missing time with tightness in his back and hips. ... The Cardinals brought back defensive lineman Corey Peters, a threetime captain, on a oneyear deal, the team announced . ... Buffalo general manager Brandon Beane told the Associated Press he is giving himself before the start of the regular season to negotiate a longterm extension with quarterback Josh Allen . ... The Giants signed running back Alfred Morris in case Saquon Barkley isn’t ready for the start of the season after a major knee injury . ... Running back Nick Chubb signed a threeyear, $36.6 million extension with the Browns.